"Barcelona's defensive frailties have become one of the most concerning storylines of their season so far. The team's recent dip in form can largely be traced to their inability to maintain stability at the back, something uncharacteristic of Hansi Flick's usually well-structured setup. The fact of the matter is that Barcelona have been leaking goals far too easily. Even more worrying, their ability to keep clean sheets has completely vanished."
"In fact, the last time Barcelona managed a shutout was back on September 21, when Flick's men earned a 3-0 victory over Getafe. Since then, the Blaugrana have gone seven consecutive matches without keeping a clean sheet - a run that has not occurred since the 2020/21 season under Ronald Koeman. Last season, Barcelona had two separate spells of six matches conceding goals, but never seven."
"Across La Liga and the Champions League, Barcelona have played 13 matches, conceding 16 goals, an average of 1.23 per game, considerably higher than in previous seasons. Last season, the team conceded 13 goals in their first 13 games, while in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons, the figure stood at just 11."
Barcelona have shown a marked defensive decline, leaking goals more often and failing to keep a clean sheet since the 3-0 win over Getafe on September 21. The team has gone seven consecutive matches without a shutout, a sequence not seen since the 2020/21 season and one that could match an eight-game streak if Elche score. Across La Liga and the Champions League, Barcelona have conceded 16 goals in 13 matches (1.23 per game), a worse start than recent seasons and comparable only to the poor defensive record under Ronald Koeman's second year.
Read at Barca Universal
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