Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
To be successful in football, a team must learn to win at home and away. That's self-evident. However, building up home form offers the most solid foundation for success. Having a stadium - a fortress - where your opponent fears to tread is a prerequisite for being a great team, and you can flounder without that essential piece of armour.
A case in point is Manchester United, a team whose stadium, Old Trafford, used to be one of the most difficult in football for any away team to get a result. Man United actually went on a run of 40 years without losing a European (UCL, UEFA Cup, Cup Winners' Cup) game at Old Trafford, running from 1956-1996. While Sir Alex Ferguson ultimately lost that record, his United teams rarely lost at home. That's not been the case since his retirement in 2013, both in the Premier League and European competition. Although, as we shall see below, there are green shoots suggesting that Old Trafford is becoming a fortress again.
So, who are the teams enjoying home comforts this season? Below, we will look at the top five leagues in Europe, discussing the teams that have the most formidable records in front of their own fans.
*Stats are correct as of 22/02/23.
While Arsenal are currently the league leaders, it is Man City that are favourites in the Premier League odds. The reason is partly down to the fact that Pep Guardiola's men are almost untouchable at the Etihad, where they pick up an average of 2.58 points per game. Neighbours Manchester United aren't far behind them, as the resurgent Red Devils have picked up 2.42 points per game. While not yet perfect, Erik Ten Hag is creating the conditions for Old Trafford to be one of Europe's most feared stadiums again. We should also make special mention of Brentford, a team who have surprised many pundits this season. Brentford have lost just 1 game in the Premier League so far this term.
Both Barcelona and Real Madrid are unbeaten at home in La Liga this season, but the former's record is a cut above everyone else in the division. Barcelona have won 9 and drawn 2 of their La Liga games at the Nou Camp this season, whereas Madrid have 7 wins and 3 draws. But it is not in points alone that Barcelona's home dominance should be examined. Rather, it is in defence - the Catalans have only conceded 1 league goal at the Nou Camp this season. Incredible. If you were wondering, that came from a Joselu penalty when Espanyol grabbed a 1-1 draw at the Nou Camp at the end of December.
It's not a controversial statement to say that Napoli will win the Scudetto this season. After all, they are currently 15 points clear of second-placed Internazionale. Napoli, in fact, hold the best home and away record, unsurprisingly. But it is their record at San Paolo Stadium that truly stands out, with 10 wins and 1 draw giving them the best home record of any team in Europe's top 5 leagues.
Borussia Dortmund have the best home record in the Bundesliga this season, with 8 wins, 1 draw, and 1 defeat in their 10 home games. However, it is perhaps more interesting to note the team with only the 5th-best home record, Bayern Munich. We know that Munich have waltzed to 10 consecutive titles, but that is in real jeopardy this year, as the likes of Dortmund and the surprise package Union Berlin are still in with a shot at the title. Four draws in Bayern's 10 games at the Allianz Arena have cost the Bavarians, although it should be noted that they remain unbeaten on home turf.
Finishing with what is maybe the most interesting division in terms of disparities in how and away form, we come to Ligue 1. The two teams with the best home records are Lens and Rennes, but the latter, in particular, has such terrible away form that the title challenge will likely not materialise. Second-placed Marseille have superb away form, but they are very average at home. PSG - 3rd in both metrics - have looked vulnerable this season. They'll still win the title, but the fear factor is not as it was at Parc des Princes.
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