PSG Did More Than Keep Top Spot With 6-0 Win at Villarreal: Here's Why

PSG won 6-0 at Villarreal last Tuesday, keeping first place in the Champions League standings and significantly improving their goal difference. Several Parisians also used the match to boost their stats.

With four wins in as many matchdays and a goal difference of +15, PSG lead the Champions League league-phase standings, ahead of Real Madrid, which also has 12 points but a goal difference of only +6.

With 20 goals, PSG also has the best attack in the competition, ahead of Como with 19 goals (including 9 against Lens).

While PSG collectively tops many rankings, they still don't lead in the competition's top scorer and top assister categories. But after their 6-0 win at Villarreal, several PSG players improved their individual statistics.

With two goals, Fabian Ruiz now has 4 in the Champions League, making him the competition's fourth-top scorer, tied with several other players.

Maghnes Akliouche delivered two assists against the Yellow Submarine, bringing his total to three, like Ousmane Dembélé and João Neves. The Portuguese midfielder, who scored PSG's first goal at Villarreal, was credited with two assists in the match, according to UEFA.

In addition to his assist on David Boly's goal, Neves received an extra assist for a shot blocked by Renato Veiga before Senny Mayulu's goal. Statistics sites such as Opta or WhoScored did not credit the Portuguese with that assist, but UEFA did.

UEFA was also generous with Willian Pacho, credited with an assist on the first goal of the match scored by João Neves. A goal that came after a good inswinging corner from Désiré Doué.

In the duel with Pape Gueye, PSG's Ecuadorian center-back appeared to head the ball back toward Neves, but in slow motion, it is not clear who touched it last between Pacho and the Senegalese international. UEFA ruled in favor of the Parisian, again, unlike the statistics sites, which did not award an assist on that play.

The last Parisian assist of the match at Villarreal is undisputed, even though he wasn't seen live during the match (it was on replay).

It is Vitinha on Fabian Ruiz's second goal, the 5-0. A wonder of a lofted through ball from the Portuguese, on a quickly taken free kick that surprised the match director and the Spanish defense.

The scorers and assisters of Villarreal vs. PSG (0-6):