Football is a game of emotions, but in the end, numbers don’t lie. That’s the idea behind the new CBS Sports Golazo Network show Numbers Don’t Lie powered by Sofascore, where data takes center stage in analyzing the biggest matches across Europe.
Every Monday, the show digs into statistical storylines that shape the game of football – and this week, for the big opener, delivered: the Champions League’s Premier League v LaLiga duels, Manchester United’s decline under Rúben Amorim, and the chaos of the Derby d’Italia.
You can watch the first episode here:
Champions League: Premier League v LaLiga
The Champions League group stage opens with four big matches between the Premier League and LaLiga – battles that could define the European season.
Arsenal v Athletic Club
Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi know Athletic inside out, with 22 matches between them against the Basque side. But Arsenal bring one of Europe’s toughest defenses. Last season, they conceded just 0.89 goals per game, the 5th-best record in the top five leagues, and allowed fewer than 10 shots per match. Even inside San Mamés, with its legendary atmosphere, beating the Gunners will be a huge challenge.
Liverpool v Atlético Madrid
This fixture is well known in history, but both sides arrive with question marks. Florian Wirtz, once unstoppable at Bayer Leverkusen (4.64 dribbles per game, 7.65 rating), has dropped to 1.40 dribbles and a 6.48 rating at Liverpool. The Reds’ attack has also slowed, with shots falling from 16.5 to 14.4 per game and big chances from 3.80 to 2.20. For Atlético, resilience is the trademark, but against Premier League intensity, adaptation will be key.
Tottenham v Villarreal
Both clubs refreshed their squads this summer, but in different ways. Villarreal’s new signings bring 90 UEFA competition appearances, compared to 74 for Spurs. The goals tell another story: Tottenham’s recruits have 20 goals in Europe, Villarreal’s only eight. Experience favors Spain, efficiency favors England.
Newcastle v Barcelona
The defining factor is Lamine Yamal. With him, Barça win 74.6% of matches, averaging 2.24 points per game. Without him, those numbers collapse to 64.3% and 1.93 points. At just 17, Yamal has already become essential.
Manchester Derby: United in Crisis
Previously this weekend, in Premier Leagues Round 4 derby, Manchester delivered a painful reminder of the gap between red and blue. United’s 3-0 defeat to City highlighted Rúben Amorim’s ongoing struggles.
Amorim’s record is the worst of any United manager with 25+ games since the 1940s, averaging just 1.34 points per game. In the Premier League era, he ranks 137th out of 177 managers. His system creates volume but not quality: United average 1.16 goals per game (18th in the EPL), underperform expected goals by -8.49 (23rd), and convert chances at just 7.4% (22nd). Defensively, they concede 1.58 goals per game and keep clean sheets in only 16.1% of matches.
For a club once built on resilience, these are relegation-level numbers. Yet Amorim refuses to adapt, sticking to a system that simply isn’t producing.
Manchester Derby: Haaland’s Brilliance
On the blue side, Erling Haaland continues to break records. His brace against United took him to eight goals in just six Premier League derbies – matching Wayne Rooney and Sergio Agüero’s numbers in far fewer games.
Since joining City, Haaland has scored 129 goals, averaging one every 95 minutes and needing just 25.7 touches per goal. No striker in Europe is more efficient. In the Premier League since 2015/16, Haaland leads with a goal every 93.5 minutes, ahead of Agüero, Isak, Kane, and Salah.
Add in a 9.4 Sofascore rating in the derby, plus a career-high six clearances on the defensive end, and you get a complete striker rewriting the history. At 25, he isn’t just City’s future, he’s already one of football’s most lethal forwards.
Derby d’Italia: Goals, and Distance Kings
In Italy, the Derby d’Italia has turned into Europe’s chaos machine. Sixteen goals in the last three matches (4-3, 1-0, 4-4) make Juventus v Inter one of the most entertaining rivalries on the continent, second only to El Clásico.
This season’s latest chapter was pure drama. Juventus beat Inter 4-3 thanks to Vasilije Adžić’s 95th-minute rocket from 35.2 yards – the longest goal scored in Serie A this season.
Under Igor Tudor, Juventus have shifted style: more direct, more long-range efforts, and fewer touches per shot. 22.6% of their goals now come from outside the box, compared to 14.3% under Thiago Motta.
Individuals are stepping up too. Kenan Yildiz has been Juve’s spark since the Club World Cup, averaging a 7.84 Sofascore rating with standout games against Parma (8.9) and Inter (8.4). At 19, he’s showing he’s ready to be the main man.
Inter, meanwhile, rely on Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Serie A’s “distance king.” Nearly 46% of his goals since 2024/25 have come from outside the box, making him one of Europe’s most dangerous long-range shooters. But Inter’s collective struggles in big games remain clear: just 40.7% of points won in top-tier clashes, conceding nearly two goals per match.
With Juventus and Inter both facing tough Champions League league-phase schedules – Juve against Real Madrid, Benfica and Villarreal; Inter against Liverpool, Atlético and Arsenal – Italian football’s credibility in Europe will be tested early.
Conclusion: Numbers Are a New Lens on Football
From Premier League v LaLiga rivalries to Manchester United’s decline, from Haaland’s unmatched efficiency to Serie A’s fireworks, the numbers tell stories fans love to debate. And that’s exactly what Numbers Don’t Lie powered by Sofascore brings every week: context, clarity, and the stats that explain the game beyond the highlight reel.
New episodes air every Monday on CBS Sports Golazo Network, giving football fans a data-driven way to relive the weekend and prepare for what’s next. Because in the end, emotions run high, opinions can differ – but the numbers don’t lie.