Assessing Barcelona's Start to the Season

Barcelona are one of the biggest and most successful football clubs in the world. The Catalan giants have won the LaLiga title on 27 occasions, the Copa del Rey 31 times and lifted the Champions League trophy five times. One of the most storied teams in recent times, Barca enjoyed huge success with Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta and are considered by many football fans as of the greatest sides of all-time.

While the club has struggled financially in recent times and had to play without Messi following the Argentine's exit, it seems Barcelona are on the way back to enjoying supremacy. This article will assess the team's season and look at how Hansi Flick's men are bossing games both at home and on the continent.

LaLiga Winning Run

Barcelona won eleven of their opening twelve fixtures in LaLiga this season, which also included a fine 4-0 victory against title rivals Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. The Catalan side won their first seven league matches, beating Valencia on the opening day of the season, hammering Real Valladolid at home 7-0 and winning at Girona and Villarreal.

The only defeat came at Osasuna in late September as Barca trailed 2-0 after just half an hour before losing 4-2. With eleven wins, the team topped the table in the first week of November, nine points clear of second-placed Real and twelve points ahead of fourth and fifth place.

Top Goalscorers

Barcelona have by far and away been the best scorers in Spanish La Liga, netting double the amount of goals recorded by Real and three and even four times more than other sides in the league. Having hit 40 goals, Flick's side are recording an average of more than three strikes per game.

Robert Lewandowski has hit an incredible 14 goals in the league, with four braces against Valencia, Villarreal, Sevilla and Real Madrid and a hat-trick in a 3-0 triumph at Alaves. The Poland international is considered one of the finest forwards in the 21st century having top scored for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga and he has continued that stunning form in Spain.

Elsewhere, Raphinha has scored seven goals, Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo have hit five and Pedri and Pablo Torre boast three strikes. Jules Kounde, Ferran Torres and Pau Victor also have a goal each to their name.

Young Talent

Barcelona's La Masia academy is famed for producing top talent and, as the club juggled money issues, more and more youngsters have been given opportunities and thrived in the first-team. The team boasts a number of skilled young players with Lamine Yamal, who is already considered world class, the biggest profile. The forward only turned 17 in July and helped Spain win the Euros last summer. Featuring in every Barca game this campaign, Lamal is one of the favourites to win the Golden Boy award in December.

It feels as though Pedri has been around a long while and yet he will only be 22 in 2025 while Gavi only turned 20 in August and Marc Casado and Fermin Lopez are both just 21. Hector Fort is 18 and fellow defender Pau Cubarsi, who like Yamal has played every match, is just 17. With old hands like Lewandowski leading the line,

Champions League Form

Barcelona have also enjoyed a fine start to the Champions League which has undergone a transformation this campaign. UEFA introduced a new format, replacing the group phase with a league table stage meaning Barca will now play eight as opposed to six matches in the first round of the competition. Flick's side will qualify for the first knockout stage by finishing in the top 24 teams and would jump straight to the Last 1 stage if they finish in the top eight which they are on course to do.

After losing the opening Champions League fixture at Monaco, Barca have scored 14 goals in three matches, beating Young Boys, Bayern Munich and Red Star. Next up, the Spanish team will host Stade Brest and then travel to Borussia Dortmund and Benfica before playing Atalanta at home.

Fixtures to Come

Barcelona are firmly in the ascendency and are in complete control in LaLiga at things stand. However, a lot can happen in football and so twelve games into a new campaign is too early to firmly claim Barca will win the title though their fans will be hopeful they continue to put points on the board and get the job done.

In December, Flick's team will head to Real Betis and then welcome Atletico Madrid to Catalonia just before Christmas. March, meanwhile, sees matches against Real Sociedad, Osasuna and Girona. May will be key a month with five fixtures to play including the home clash with Real Madrid before a final day match against Athletic Bilbao.

Summing Up

The 2024/25 campaign has seen Barcelona enjoy a stunning start to the season, winning the vast majority of matches through August, September and October. The LaLiga side are top of the table and also claiming victories and Europe and this could shape up to be one of the most successful campaigns since the departure of Messi. Boasting young talent alongside veteran stars, the side looks to have the perfect blend of skill and nous to finish above Real in the league.

12.11.2024