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The Nigerian star is yet to find the back of the net since moving to Sevilla this summer
La Liga’s ongoing 2024/25 season has thrown up surprising stats, with high-profile forwards struggling to convert clear scoring opportunities.
Among the players with the highest negative expected goals (xG) differential, both Kelechi Iheanacho and Kylian Mbappe find themselves unexpectedly low on the leaderboard.
Iheanacho’s LaLiga struggles
Since his move from Leicester City to Sevilla in the summer, Nigerian international Kelechi Iheanacho has yet to open his scoring account in La Liga, despite generating promising chances.
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Iheanacho has accumulated an xG of 1.42 across six league appearances, meaning he was expected to score at least one goal based on the quality of his chances.
However, the Nigerian star has yet to break his La Liga duck and will go into the fourth month of the season without a goal.
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Despite this poor club form, Iheanacho has still secured a place in Nigeria’s national team squad for their crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Rwanda and Benin Republic.
Mbappe’s uncharacteristic scoring dip
Joining Iheanacho on LaLiga’s list of underperforming forwards is Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe.
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The French star, who is known for his clinical finishing and impressive goal tally, has posted a -2.02 xG differential, indicating a downturn in his usually sharp scoring form.
Although Mbappe’s struggles in front of goal have been less prolonged than Iheanacho’s, his goal-scoring struggles have not gone unnoticed by fans and pundits alike.
With Ez Abde of Real Betis topping the negative xG differential chart at -3.74, it’s clear that several high-profile La Liga strikers have yet to find their rhythm this season.
As both Iheanacho and Mbappe look to improve their numbers, the coming months will be crucial for restoring their reputations and proving their worth in Spain’s elite competition.
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