Stats: Neymar equals Messi feat with 16, Choupo-Moting breaks UCL record

PSG squeezed past Atalanta in the first quarterfinal of the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League, thanks to goals from Marquinhos and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.

Here are the best numbers from the game:

1

This is the first time PSG have beaten Italian opposition in the UEFA Champions League (drawn four, lost two). They are yet to keep a clean sheet against them, though. 

2

This is PSG's second appearance in the semifinals of the UCL, and it comes 25 years after their first. They made the semis under Luis Fernandez in 1994/95, when they lost to AC Milan (3-0 on aggregate). 

3

The difference three years can make -- In August 2017, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting had just joined Stoke City (they were relegated from the English Premier League that season). Now, in August 2020, Choupo-Moting has just scored the goal that sent PSG to a UCL semifinal.

4

Not considering games that went to extra time, PSG are the fourth team to enter the 90th minute of a UCL knockout game losing, and end up winning the game. The others? Manchester United vs. Bayern Munich (1999 final), Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea (2005 QF), and Borussia Dortmund vs. Malaga (2013 QF).

9

Neymar won nine fouls vs. Atalanta -- the most by a player in a single UCL game so far this season. It's also the most anyone has suffered in a UCL game since 2017.

16

Neymar completed 16 take-ons vs. Atalanta. That's tied for the most in UCL history, along with Lionel Messi in 2008 vs. Man United and.. Javier Zanetti vs. Dynamo Kyiv in 2003.

In recent years, there's been just one dribbling king, though. Since 2016-17, the top four ranks in terms of take-ons completed all belong to Neymar (16 vs. Atalanta, 2020; 15 vs. Juventus, 2017; 13 vs. Napoli, 2018; 13 vs. Real Madrid, 2018). 

29

Atalanta finished the game having committed 29 fouls, tied most in the UCL this season in a single game. Over the last ten seasons, only Basel and Real Madrid have committed more fouls in a single UCL game (both with 30).

0.86 vs. 2.13

If numbers could come close to quantify the impact Kylian Mbappe has on football matches, this would be it. Before Mbappe came on (the first 60 minutes of the match), PSG had seven shots, at an xG of 0.86. In the last half hour, with Mbappe on, this rose to nine shots with an xG of 2.13.

(xG = Expected Goals) 

92:05

Choupo-Moting's goal was the latest regulation-time game-winning goal in UCL quarterfinals history.

149

Ninety minutes of nothing. Then, there were just 149 seconds between Marquinhos scoring PSG's equaliser and Choupo-Moting scoring their winner. 

Five years ago, Atalanta finished 17th in Serie A, avoiding relegation by three points.

This season they reached the quarterfinals of the UCL in their debut. Incredible effort �� pic.twitter.com/kKQuC9egPk

- ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) August 12, 2020

392.7 vs. 385.3

Some perspective at the end of it all -- PSG spent more on Neymar and Mbappe (US$392.7M) than Atalanta have spent on their entire squad since 2001-02 (US$385.3M).

(Stats courtesy of ESPN's Statistics & Information Group)