Sergio Leon has been a key figure for Real Valladolid in their fight to remain in La Liga this season. The experienced forward has been a reliable source of goals, chipping in with five goals in 20 appearances this season, including some important strikes in the last few months. The Spanish international has plenty of experience playing in Spain. He moved up the market after graduating from the Real Betis academy. He then played for Elche in the second division and was their top scorer in the Segunda Division in 2016, having netted 22 in the season. In 2022, he saw his current side, Real Valladolid, move back into the top flight after being directly involved in 11 goals and playing a crucial role in their success. Valladolid are in 17th place with 24 points from 23 games and faces fierce competition from Valencia, Getafe, and Cadiz. The positive for them is that there is a difference of only three points between them and Espanyol up in 12th. The team will surely call upon the veteran to fulfil their wish to stay on the top flight. Below, are some of his stats for Valladolid from the Spanish top flight.
The above viz shows his percentile rank compared to the other centre forwards in La Liga. Leon’s defensive stats are excellent for a centre-forward. He is ranked highly for winning defensive duels. It can be seen that he ranks low in most of the departments owing to the fact that Valladolid does not maintain possession and plays on the counter. The player still manages to provide a fair number of progressive passes and attempt dribbles.
Display on the pitch
Sergio Leon covers the entire pitch in the final third. He is primarily a central attacker who likes to dribble and get into dangerous positions. He also performs defensive duties, and most of his intensity can be seen in the final third of the pitch for his team. Sergio makes 10.74 passes on average per 90, with a completion rate of 71%.
Ability to convert
This season, he has scored four goals from open play and missed one of his two penalties. The player averages 1.74 shots per 90 minutes in the 2022–23 La Liga season and has an accuracy rate of 66.7%. The xG map above shows that Leon has taken most of the shots from inside the penalty box. He scored his goal on short-range efforts and likes to shoot from central areas. He has taken 19 shots, of which 12 have been on target.
Action on the flanks
The above viz shows Sergio Leon’s winger actions in La Liga in 2022/23. It can be observed that most of his intensity is on the left flank of the final third. The number of successful dribbles on the left flank of the final third is decent. His tendency to take crosses and his ability to deliver them accurately on the left flank are also demonstrated, and he makes 0.66 accurate crosses on average and attempts 2.64 dribbles per 90. Most of his runs have been deep in the left flank.
Winning free kicks
The above visual displays a map of all the fouls suffered by the player in the opponent’s half. It can be seen that he has won a few fouls on the left flank, which have helped create chances for the team in the form of free kicks and set pieces. He is experienced and knows how to win a foul in dangerous areas.
Sergio Leon for Valladolid – 2021/22
The above viz shows the shot map for the player in the second division last season. He played a major role in front of the net and scored seven goals last season in 32 appearances from a total of 44 shots. He got the majority of them from inside the box, with one long-range attempt. He ended the season with an xG of 5.89 and an xG per shot of 0.13. His ability to grab goals when needed is also a huge boost for Valladolid as his contributions helped the team make it back into the top flight.
Overall, the Spaniard is a leader, providing experience and guidance to the younger players in the team. His presence has been invaluable for the team while navigating rough patches. Leon’s fine conversion and intelligence are a major boost for Real Valladolid and his contributions have come in handy, helping Valladolid fight to remain in the top flight this season.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
