Will loss of home advantage shake LaLiga?

Madrid, Jun 7 (efe-epa).- When the Bundesliga kicked off a few weeks, ago after being put on hold due to the coronavirus crisis, fans and experts were keen to see what effect empty stadiums would have on the performance of players and match outcomes.

And what seems to have happened is that the absence of fans in the stands has resulted in the loss of the home advantage, whereby teams playing on home turf historically are more likely to avoid a defeat.

But with no added pressure and hoards of fans cheering on their players for 90 minutes the favorable environment has evaporated and so has the advantage of playing on homeground.

During the first days after the German lockdown was lifted only a seventh of matches played at home were won by the host team.

The dynamics have varied somewhat in second division matches, which although fewer have seen teams playing at home be slightly more successful.

Now all eyes are on Spain as it gears up to resume LaLiga next week.

Pre-pandemic, Barcelona was the team to benefit the most from the field factor with no defeats, accumulating 13 wins and a draw across 14 clashes resulting in 40 points.

Real Madrid also followed the home advantage trend with 31 out of 39 possible points due to four draws.

The only other team in LaLiga to avoid defeats on home turf in the first leg of the tournament was Valencia with eight wins and six draws.

Teams at the bottom of the league table were also the ones to profit the least from the field factor.