The 'BBC' has hit more goals than 16 teams in Primera División

This weekend, Atlético Madrid have the chance to seal a league double over city rivals Real for the first time in 63 years. To do so, they must win the Madrid derby at the Calderón – something they have not managed since 1999. And a look at the figures being posted by Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo shows that this will be no easy task. Madrid’s attacking trident, dubbed the ‘BBC’, comes into Sunday’s clash with a devastating 46 league goals between them so far this term.
Before week 26 of the Liga BBA season, only Barcelona and Atlético Madrid had more goals than the Real Madrid trio (Athletic Bilbao had scored 45 goals before Friday’s win over Granada in the week’s opening match). The other 17 Primera División teams – except Real Sociedad, who are level on 46 – fall short of the attacking threesome’s goal haul.
The ‘C’ is the most lethal component of the ‘BBC’. Cristiano is top scorer in the Liga BBVA with 22 goals, one ahead of Diego Costa. However, while the Atlético forward has played 2,134 minutes so far this campaign, the Portugal international is on just 1,838, due to a three-match ban served after his red card at San Mamés. This works out as a league goal every 84 minutes for the Portugal international.
Meanwhile, Benzema prepares to face Atlético with his star undoubtedly in the ascendancy. Of his 14 Liga BBVA goals this season, the Frenchman has hit 12 in his last 15 matches. Since the defeat to Barcelona in October, Real Madrid’s number nine has found the net every 103 minutes, only failing to score in five league games (against Osasuna, Valencia, Espanyol, Athletic and Elche).
And Bale’s figures are not far behind. In the 22 league appearances he has made for Los Blancos, the Welshman has counteracted his physical problems with figures that are up there with Cristiano and Benzema. Since his debut against Villarreal, the former Tottenham Hotspur player has missed five full Liga BBVA matches (Getafe, Elche, Levante, Valencia and Athletic) but has scored ten times in 1,191 minutes – once every 119 minutes.
Bale, Benzema and Cristiano’s effectiveness in attack is in contrast with Real Madrid’s results when all three are on the pitch. Of the 12 points that Carlo Ancelotti’s men have dropped in the Liga BBVA this term, ten have been lost in matches in which the trio played: two draws (Villarreal and Osasuna) and two defeats (Atlético and Barcelona).
In all competitions, the ‘BBC’ have 70 goals between them: 36 for Cristiano, 20 for Benzema and 14 for Bale.