The blemish that most penalizes Hansi Flick's Barça in Europe

BarcelonaBarça has established itself as a true attacking machine. With 87 goals in all competitions, it is the second-highest scoring team in Europe, only behind Bayern Munich (92). It also ranks second in chance creation, surpassed only by Real Madrid. However, this offensive prowess contrasts sharply with a persistent defensive fragility, especially evident in the Champions League. The data not only corroborates this perception but also reveals a worrying pattern that distances the Blaugrana from the defensive standards demanded of top European contenders. In the top continental competition, Barça has conceded 13 goals, an average of 1.9 goals conceded per game, without managing a single clean sheet. This figure is particularly significant considering that all of the goals have come from inside the penalty area, a clear indicator of problems defending vulnerable zones. In total, the team faced 74 shots on goal, a high exposure for a team aspiring to compete with the best.

This situation is not isolated. In fact, Barça has conceded goals in ten consecutive Champions League matches for the first time in its history. In the overall tally of the previous European season, the Blaugrana conceded 24 goals in 14 matches, one of the highest figures among all participants.

In contrast to other contenders for the European title, Arsenal has conceded only two goals in the entire Champions League, averaging 0.29 goals per game and keeping five clean sheets. One of the most obvious indicators of this fragility is their defense on set pieces. Barça has already conceded seven goals from corner kicks this season across all competitions (against Slavia Prague, Real Madrid, Rayo Vallecano, Real Betis, Chelsea, and Alavés).

The Barcelona team usually defends these plays with shorter players, such as Pau Cubarsí (1.84 m) and Eric Garcia (1.82 m), which contrasts with models like Arsenal's. The London team has turned set pieces into one of its main attacking weapons, based on a clear physical superiority, with center-backs like William Saliba (1.92 m) and Gabriel Magalhães (1.90 m), and on a highly refined tactical execution. Arteta's team has scored 42 goals this season in the Premier League, 20 of which have come from set pieces.

The two goals conceded against Slavia Prague are evidence of this.

The match against Slavia Prague is particularly illustrative. The Czech team had only scored two goals in the entire Champions League, and managed to score two at Barça by exploiting precisely these defensive weaknesses. It's not an isolated case, but a reflection of a pattern that rivals of very different profiles have been able to identify and punish.

Advanced data reinforces this interpretation. According to theexpected goals against (xGA) [expected goals conceded], Barça has an approximate xGA of 10.05 in the Champions League, but has conceded 13 actual goals. This difference indicates that the team not only concedes dangerous chances, but that these chances are converted into goals with greater efficiency than expected.

The historical context also doesn't support this optimistic narrative. If we review the goals conceded by Champions League winners over the last 15 years, we see that winning teams tend to have much lower numbers. Manchester City (2022-23) only conceded 5 goals, Chelsea (2020-21) 4, and even the 2014-15 Barça champions conceded 11. The negative record belongs to Real Madrid in 2016-17, with 18 goals conceded. In this context, Barça's current figures clearly place them outside the pattern of the champions.

In La Liga, the situation is slightly more stable, but not without warning signs: 22 goals conceded, 1.1 per game, with 90.91% of those goals coming from inside the penalty area, and 200 shots on target allowed throughout the season. Only the Copa del Rey offers a statistical exception: Barça is still unbeaten, although the competitive context is very different. Barça awaits Copenhagen's visit to secure their place in the round of 16 and avoid elimination. play-off, But to achieve this, Hansi Flick's team will have to win and reduce the offensive impact of their rivals in order to achieve a good goal difference.