Which four teams have finished on 100 points or more in the top five European leagues?

Teams to Reach 100 Points in Europe’s Top Five Leagues.

Reaching a high points total is a measure of a stellar league campaign in football. A century of points is a particularly impressive and rare landmark – especially in elite European leagues. It is near impossible in the Bundesliga – a 34-game, 18-team division, with a maximum of 102 points available. A total of 114 points, however, can be earned in the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, and Ligue 1.

Premier League champions Liverpool finished the 2019-20 season on a formidable tally of 99 points – the second highest in English top flight history. However, a 2-1 defeat to Arsenal in Liverpool’s 36th league game ended their hopes of becoming ‘Centurions’.

Here, we look at the four top flight sides who have achieved 100-point seasons across England, Spain, Italy, and France (statistics from transfermarkt.com).

Real Madrid: 100 points (2011/12)

Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid became the first ever side in Europe’s top five leagues to reach 100 points in a season – as they claimed their 32nd La Liga title. Los Blancos eclipsed the previous record of 99 points set by Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona in 2009/10.

In 2011/12, Real Madrid finished nine points clear of arch rivals Barca in Guardiola’s final season as manager. Mourinho’s side also set La Liga records for goals (121), goal difference (+89), and away wins (16). Los Blancos ended the season with a 23-match unbeaten run. This included a crucial 2-1 El Clasico win at Camp Nou in the fifth-last game – Real’s first away league win against Barcelona since 2007.

Real Madrid primarily used a 4-2-3-1 formation, set up for devastating counter-attacking. Cristiano Ronaldo was Real Madrid’s top scorer with 46 La Liga goals, but he was remarkably beaten to the European Golden Shoe award by Lionel Messi’s astonishing tally of 50. Other key figures included: Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo, Xabi Alonso, Mesut Ozil, Angel Di Maria, Karim Benzema, and Gonzalo Higuain.

Barcelona: 100 points (2012/13)

The following season, Barca equalled Real Madrid’s points haul under Tito Vilanova – Guardiola’s former assistant – in winning their 22nd La Liga title. They became the first side to score in all 38 games of a La Liga campaign – finding the net 115 times. Barcelona led the league for the entire season and finished 15 points clear of Mourinho’s Real Madrid  – a record La Liga winning margin. They were also unbeaten at Camp Nou – winning 18 of 19 games.

Messi won the European Golden Shoe again, scoring 46 league goals. Barca operated in a possession-based 4-3-3 system, with a back four of Dani Alves, Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba tending to play in front of Victor Valdes. In midfield, Barcelona chose from Sergio Busquets, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, and Thiago Alcantara. In attack, two of Pedro, Alexis Sanchez, and David Villa, usually joined Messi.

It was revealed in December 2012 that Vilanova was suffering from throat cancer for the second time. He underwent surgery, before chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment – during which time, his assistant Jordi Roura took over as head coach. While Vilanova returned to his role in late March to complete the season, he resigned in July 2013 to continue his treatment. He sadly passed away on April 25, 2014 aged just 45.

Juventus: 102 points (2013/14)

For a third consecutive season, a European giant achieved a ‘Centurion’ campaign in one of the top five leagues. In Antonio Conte’s last season as manager, Juventus claimed their 30th Serie A title – surpassing Real Madrid and Barcelona’s points tallies, as well as breaking Inter Milan’s Italian top flight record of 97 points.

The Old Lady finished 17 points ahead of second-place Roma, winning 33 games and losing only to Fiorentina and Napoli. They won all of their 19 home matches at Juventus Stadium – a Serie A record.

Juventus utilised a 3-5-2 formation and conceded only 23 goals. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon – and centre-backs Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli – played key defensive roles. In midfield, Paul Pogba, Arturo Vidal, and Andrea Pirlo – who won Serie A Footballer of the Year for the third consecutive season – were all instrumental. Carlos Tevez was top scorer with 19 league goals, while Fernando Llorente also netted 16 times.

Manchester City: 100 points (2017/18)

Guardiola’s Manchester City side became the first English team to reach 100 points in a top flight season. In winning their fifth league title, they broke the 95-point Premier League record set by Mourinho’s Chelsea in 2004/05.

City set a range of other Premier League records, including goals scored (106), goal difference (+79), wins (32), away wins (16), and away points (50). They also finished 19 points clear of Mourinho’s Manchester United – the largest ever English top flight winning margin. In addition, City won 18 consecutive league games – a National record.

The Sky Blues dominated possession, primarily setting up in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation. Sergio Aguero topped City’s scoring charts with 21 league goals. Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne, Leroy Sane, David Silva, and Bernardo Silva were the other standout attacking performers. Ederson, Kyle Walker, Fernandinho, and when fit, Vincent Kompany – were also integral as City kept 18 clean sheets.

We hope you enjoyed the article ‘Teams to Reach 100 Points in Europe’s Top Five Leagues’. Which of the four sides do you think is the greatest? Let us know!

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