Leverkusen have created the strongest chances in a limited xG sample
Bayer Leverkusen have produced 7.56 expected goals (xG) in their first two Europa League matches with complete data in 2026/27. That works out to 3.78 xG per game, the highest average among the teams with at least two qualifying xG matches in SmartMatchData's current dataset.
It is an eye-catching start, but it is not a complete tournament ranking. Leverkusen's total comes from just two matches, and the latest round has not yet received full xG coverage. A good analysis needs to show that limit rather than hide it.
Other clubs have also created strong chances. Beşiktaş have recorded 6.26 xG across two matches, Juventus 6.09, Union Saint-Gilloise 5.14 and Sunderland 4.75. These figures help describe how teams have attacked, but they do not settle which side is strongest overall.
SmartMatchData currently records 78 completed Europa League matches in the 2026/27 competition dataset, including qualifying ties. Only 36 have full-quality xG for both teams. This article compares selected performances using matched data, while keeping the actual results separate where coverage differs.
Europa League xG: selected attacking performances
Leverkusen's 3.78 xG per game is followed by Beşiktaş at 3.13 and Juventus at 3.05 in the selected two-match comparison. Union Saint-Gilloise average 2.57, with Sunderland at 2.38.
The defensive side is also worth examining. Leverkusen have allowed 1.39 xGA across their two qualifying games, or 0.70 per match. Sunderland's xGA total is 1.36, while Juventus have allowed 1.82 and Beşiktaş 2.41.
These numbers are useful because they compare chances created with chances allowed. However, they cover different opponents, and two games are too few to identify a reliable long-term pattern.
Leverkusen's 4-0 win tells an important story
Leverkusen began their recorded league-stage campaign with a 2-0 home win against Celje, creating 2.40 xG and allowing 0.89 xGA. They followed that with a 4-0 away victory over Lech Poznań on 15 October.
The Lech match stands out. Leverkusen created 5.16 xG and allowed just 0.50 xGA. The four goals were backed by a large number of dangerous chances, rather than a narrow attacking performance that happened to produce a big score.
Leverkusen then drew 0-0 away to OFI Crete on 22 October. That result is included in their three-match record of two wins and one draw, but it is not included in their xG average because complete xG data is unavailable.
This distinction matters. Calling 7.56 xG a three-match total without explaining the missing game would understate the available chance creation and confuse readers about the sample.
Juventus have started well at both ends
Juventus have seven points from their first three recorded Europa League matches, with two wins and one draw. They have scored seven goals and conceded one.
Their first two games with complete xG data produced 6.09 xG and 1.82 xGA. They beat NEC Nijmegen 5-0 at home, creating 4.20 xG, before winning 2-1 away to Celta Vigo with 1.89 xG.
The 0-0 draw with Rennes on 22 October is excluded from the xG sample. Juventus' goals and points record therefore covers three games, while their expected-goals figures cover two.
The early results are encouraging, but the gap in coverage makes it important not to describe these as complete three-match attacking statistics.
Beşiktaş show strong attacking output
Beşiktaş have created 6.26 xG in their two league-stage games with complete data. They beat Marseille 4-1 at home, producing 2.93 xG, and Hoffenheim 3-2 away, producing 3.33 xG.
Those two matches account for seven goals scored from 6.26 xG. They suggest strong chance creation and a goal return close to the estimated quality of those chances.
Beşiktaş also drew 2-2 with Crystal Palace on 22 October, but that match does not yet have full-quality xG. Their wider competition record also includes qualifying fixtures, which should not be mixed into a league-stage xG comparison without a clear explanation.
Sunderland and Union SG have also created chances
Sunderland have taken seven points from three league-stage matches. Their two full-quality xG games produced 4.75 xG and just 1.36 xGA. They beat AZ Alkmaar 1-0 and Torreense 2-1 before drawing 1-1 with Lech Poznań in the latest round.
Union Saint-Gilloise have five points from three games. Their first two qualifying xG matches produced 5.14 xG and 1.76 xGA, including a 3-0 win away to Viktoria Plzeň and a 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad. Their latest 0-0 draw with Hapoel Be'er Sheva has no full-quality xG yet.
Both teams have shown positive chance balances in the available sample. But neither should be placed in a definitive attacking ranking based on only two matches.
Why Europa League xG needs extra care
Expected goals estimate the quality of scoring chances. They help explain how a team played, but they do not replace the final score or account for every part of a match.
In this Europa League dataset, the main limitation is coverage. The 78 completed matches include qualifying ties, while the most recent league-stage round is still missing full-quality xG. Some clubs have two usable games, and others have no comparable xG sample at all.
That makes a broad ranking misleading. A better approach is to examine individual performances, show exactly how many games are included and avoid drawing conclusions about teams that cannot yet be compared fairly.
Leverkusen's attacking numbers are strong, Juventus have combined results with good chance creation, and Beşiktaş have produced dangerous opportunities in both of their measured games. The next rounds will show whether those early patterns continue.
For the latest fixtures and results, visit the Europa League competition page and its match analysis archive. To understand the metrics, read Expected Goals Explained and xG vs xGA Explained.
Data and methodology
This article uses SmartMatchData's UEFA Europa League 2026/27 records through 22 October 2026. The dataset contains 78 completed competition matches, including qualifying fixtures, and 36 with full-quality xG and xGA for both sides. The selected xG comparison covers two complete observations per club. Goals and results for matches without full-quality xG are discussed separately and are never included in the xG averages. Values are rounded to two decimals. xG estimates chance quality rather than guaranteed goals, and may vary by provider. This is a descriptive early-season study, not a prediction or complete competition ranking.