Luis Figo’s single-season record of nine assists is within reach for Olise and Vinicius. With seven apiece, they face each other in the knockouts.
| Champions League assists | Odds |
|---|---|
| Olise to finish top | 4.00 |
| Vini to finish top | 6.00 |
All odds are courtesy of bet365, correct at the time of publishing and subject to change.
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The race to break Figo’s record
A quarter of a century has passed since Luis Figo set the benchmark. No player has matched his tally of nine assists in a single Champions League season, achieved for Barcelona in 1999/2000. Apart from Michael Olise and Vinicius Junior, eight other players have registered seven assists, including Xavi, Mesut Ozil and Raul Gonzalez.
Five other players have reached eight, including David Beckham and Raphinha, but Figo’s record remains elusive. Now, two artists stand level on seven assists with the quarter-finals still to play. Fate has conspired to make this personal. Real Madrid and Bayern Munich meet in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Olise has been transformative for Vincent Kompany. He has 15 goals and 27 assists in 38 competitive appearances. The Frenchman is the first Bayern Munich player to reach five or more assists in a single UCL season since Leroy Sane in 2020/21 (6).
He was at his brilliant best in the last-16 first leg against Atalanta. Five different players scored, but Olise stole the show with two goals and an assist in Bayern’s 6-1 victory. His numbers are remarkable. Olise now has more career multi-goal games in the Champions League (3) than games with just one goal (2).
His 77th-minute yellow card meant suspension for the return leg, which Bayern won 4-1 at the Allianz Arena without him. Some suggested the yellow card may have been deliberate to reset his record ahead of the quarter-finals. However, he was not sanctioned.
At the same time, Vinicius is rewriting Madrid’s record books. The Brazilian has 31 assists in 80 Champions League appearances, equalling Cristiano Ronaldo’s total for the club. The Portuguese icon needed 101 games to reach that number. Karim Benzema finished with 27 from 133.
Only four players rank above Vinicius in the all-time Champions League assists charts. He sits joint-fifth with Kevin De Bruyne and Ryan Giggs. All four above him – Neymar, Lionel Messi, Angel Di Maria and Cristiano Ronaldo – are no longer playing in Europe.
This term, Vini has 15 goals and 12 assists in 42 competitive appearances. Five goals and seven of those assists have come in the Champions League alone. His brace against Manchester City in the second leg sealed a 5-1 aggregate victory and showcased his current form.
Over the last decade, Vinicius is the only player to have scored 25+ goals and produced 25+ assists in the competition. He has been directly involved in 39 Champions League goals since 2022.
The stage is now set. Two titans with 21 European Cups between them meet in the quarters. Olise and Vini will face each other over two legs, with their personal duel adding another layer to this historic fixture. These clubs have produced some of the competition’s most legendary nights.
Bayern’s creator, Madrid’s catalyst
The odds market reflects a slight value edge. Olise has played one fewer game than Vini this Champions League season. He missed the second leg against Atalanta through suspension. However, that has left him fresh for the last-eight encounter against Madrid.
The 24-year-old’s numbers are exceptional. He has 27 assists across three different
competitions this term. His chance creation rate places him among Europe’s elite. Olise has been central to Kompany’s gameplay as the main provider.
No player has won the assists title from this position in years. However, Olise’s ability to deliver in high-pressure moments – as he did against Atalanta – suggests he can add to his tally in the rounds ahead. Against Los Blancos, he has the platform to make his case.
Meanwhile, Vinicius has more assists in this competition than anyone in Real Madrid’s history bar Cristiano Ronaldo. The Brazilian reached that mark in 21 fewer games in the famous white shirt. His trajectory is certainly upward.
Madrid face a formidable Bayern defence in the quarter-finals. Vini thrives on these occasions. His record against elite clubs in Europe’s premier competition is outstanding.
Two more assists over two legs would match Figo’s record. Another one would see him surpass it. He is also just two assists away from matching fourth-placed Neymar’s tally of 33.
The fixture list also matters. The draw pits either Bayern or Madrid against the winner of Paris Saint-Germain vs Liverpool in the semi-finals.
Two players, seven assists each, one record. The quarter-final between Madrid and Bayern will directly shape the outcome. The odds favour Olise, but the value leans toward Vinicius. Backing either is a bet on sustained excellence in Europe’s top tournament.
History is often made when Bayern and Madrid meet in the Champions League. Olise and Vini have 180 minutes over two legs to add their names to an elite list. Only one of the two is poised to progress to the semi-final and beyond.