Neymar and Hazard among most fouled stars in Europe – Premier League rival also in top 20
NEYMAR is often criticised for his theatrics on the pitch, but the Paris Saint-Germain star receives an unfair amount of rough treatment from opposition defenders according to new research.
Chelsea winger Eden Hazard has an almost identical average when it comes to drawing fouls from the opposition, with the Belgian taking a clobbering once every 27.7 minutes.
Hazard has played almost double the amount of minutes this season due to Neymar’s serious metatarsal injury, meaning he has been clattered an eye-watering 81 times.
Surprisingly, neither player is anywhere near the most fouled across the big five European leagues so far this season.
Andrea Belotti has taken the most hits (84 fouls in 2401 minutes), but which player is targeted most often based on fouls per minutes?
Data gathered from July 1, 2018 to March 13, 2019
Neymar is one of the most fouled players in Europe so far this season (Image: GETTY)
Eden Hazard has drawn 81 fouls in the Premier League this campaign (Image: GETTY)
20. Perparim Hetemaj (Chievo Verona) – 49 fouls suffered in 1478 minutes (fouled every 30.2 mins)
18 (Tied). Teji Savanier (Nimes) – 66 fouls suffered in 1965 minutes (fouled every 29.8 mins)
18 (Tied). Darijo Srna (Cagliari) – 58 fouls suffered in 1726 minutes (fouled every 29.8 mins)
16 (Tied). Iker Muniain (Athletic Bilbao) – 60 fouls suffered in 1776 minutes (fouled every 29.6 mins)
16 (Tied). Gerson Santos (Fiorentina) – 60 fouls suffered in 1776 minutes (fouled every 29.6 mins)
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Fiorentina's Gerson Santos has been a target for defenders (Image: GETTY)
14 (Tied). Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) – 79 fouls suffered in 2323 minutes (fouled every 29.4 mins)
14 (Tied). Jose Zaldua (Real Sociedad) – 43 fouls suffered in 1263 minutes (fouled every 29.4 mins)
13. Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo) – 73 fouls suffered in 2098 minutes (fouled every 28.7 mins)
12. Andrea Belotti (Torino) – 84 fouls suffered in 2401 minutes (fouled every 28.6 mins)
11. Ruben Alcaraz (Real Valladolid) – 75 fouls suffered in 2100 minutes (fouled every 28.0 mins)
Ruben Alcaraz is fouled once every 28 minutes (Image: GETTY)
10. Eden Hazard (Chelsea) – 81 fouls suffered in 2243 minutes (fouled every 27.7 mins)
9. Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain) – 41 fouls suffered in 1127 minutes (fouled every 27.5 mins)
8. Camillo Ciano (Frosinone) – 67 fouls suffered in 1823 minutes (fouled every 27.2 mins)
7. Ruben Rochina (Levante) – 45 fouls suffered in 1216 minutes (fouled every 27.0 mins)
Ruben Rochina has received a battering from his opponents (Image: GETTY)
5 (Tied). Theo Hernandez (Real Sociedad) – 63 fouls suffered in 1676 minutes (fouled every 26.6 mins)
5 (Tied). Ismaila Sarr (Rennes) – 78 fouls suffered in 2078 minutes (fouled every 26.6 mins)
4. Blerim Dzemaili (Bologna) – 45 fouls suffered in 1186 minutes (fouled every 26.4 mins)
3. Borja Garcia (Girona) – 74 fouls suffered in 1906 minutes (fouled every 25.8 mins)
2. Amine Harit (Schalke) – 45 fouls suffered in 1007 minutes (fouled every 22.4 mins)
1. Moussa Doumbia (Reims) – 55 fouls suffered in 1212 minutes (fouled every 22.1 mins)
Moussa Doumbia is the most frequently fouled player in Europe this season (Image: GETTY)