Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar was the most-fouled player in Ligue 1 in the 2019-20 season as ligue1.com takes a look at the 'dirty' side of the French game.
Neymar was fouled every 22 minutes — an average of four times a game — during last season, putting him well ahead of the second man on the list, Montpellier's Téji Savanier, who was fouled every 27.9 minutes. Angers midfielder Angelo Fulgini was third (28.3).
It was Bordeaux forward Nicolas de Préville who suffered the most fouls: 67, compared to Neymar's 60, which put the PSG man behind Amiens striker Serhou Guirassy (64) and Stade de Reims midfielder Alaixys Romao (61).
Fouls suffered
1. Neymar (PSG): every 22.0 minutes (60 total fouls)
2. Téji Savanier (Montpellier HSC): 27.9 (55)
3. Angelo Fulgini (Angers SCO): 28.3 (56)
4. James Léa-Siliki (Stade Rennais F.C.): 29.1 (37)
5. Alaixys Romao (Stade de Reims): 29.3 (61)
6. Tiémoué Bakayoko (AS Monaco): 29.7 (58)
7. Moussa Doumbia (Stade de Reims): 29.8 (58)
8. Nicolas de Préville (Girondins de Bordeaux): 29.9 (67)
9. Serhou Guirassy (Amiens SC): 30.1 (64)
10. Kader Bamba (FC Nantes): 30.5 (48)
(Players having played at least 1000 minutes)
Fourth in the list of most fouls suffered, Rennes midfielder James Léa-Siliki comes top — or maybe that should be 'bottom' — of the class when it comes to committing fouls.
The combative former PSG youth academy prospect fouled an opponent every 32.6 minutes last season, putting him just ahead of Nîmes' Lamine Fomba (32.7). Another midfielder, Nantes' Mehdi Abeid, was third (33).
Savanier also featured on both charts, and was joined by Montpellier teammate Andy Delort on this one. The burly forward committed the most fouls of any Ligue 1 player in 2019-20 with 67, putting him far ahead of Marseille's Morgan Sanson (55) and Lille's Benjamin André (54), the next two men on the list.
Another forward, Monaco's Islam Slimani, was sixth, but curiously, not a single defender features on either list.
Fouls committed
1. James Léa-Siliki (Stade Rennais F.C.): every 32.6 minutes (33 total fouls)
2. Lamine Fomba (Nîmes Olympique): 32.7 (42)
3. Mehdi Abeid (FC Nantes): 33.0 (55)
4. Andy Delort (Montpellier HSC): 34.1 (67)
5. Sidy Sarr (Nîmes Olympique): 35.1 (33)
6. Islam Slimani (AS Monaco): 35.7 (36)
7. Téji Savanier (Montpellier HSC): 37.4 (41)
8. Alaixys Romao (Stade de Reims): 38.0 (47)
9. Benjamin André (LOSC): 38.1 (54)
10. Morgan Sanson (OM): 39.7 (55)
(Players having played at least 1000 minutes)
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