Barcelona holds the worst defensive record in the top five European leagues for the year 2024.
Barcelona’s recent struggles in La Liga have solidified their position with the worst defensive record across the top five European leagues in 2024. The Catalan giants, facing inconsistency and trailing behind rivals Real Real Madrid and surprise contender Girona, prompted manager Xavi’s decision to step down at the end of the season. This choice followed a 4-2 defeat to Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey and a 5-3 home loss to Villarreal in the league, highlighting defensive vulnerabilities.
Despite a subsequent three-match undefeated streak, marking their longest unbeaten run since December 10, Barcelona’s defensive frailties persisted. Despite improved performances against Osasuna and Alaves, their display against Granada on Sunday has placed them at the top of an unfavorable table, reflecting their ongoing challenges in maintaining defensive solidity.
Following a 3-3 draw against one of La Liga’s struggling teams, Barcelona’s defensive woes have escalated, with 23 goals conceded from their 11 fixtures in all competitions during the 2023-24 season. This places them at the top for goals conceded among teams in the top five European leagues, surpassing Italian side Frosinone, who have shipped 22 goals in seven games. While Xavi may find solace in not being the worst in terms of a ratio of goals conceded per game, Barcelona has conceded at least three times in four separate encounters since the start of the year, highlighting persistent defensive vulnerabilities.
Barcelona’s defensive struggles are underscored by the fact that their two clean sheets came against Osasuna, with the other shutout occurring in the Supercopa de Espana semi-finals. Despite sporadic improvements, the team’s overall defensive performance remains a significant concern for Xavi and Barcelona supporters alike.
Since December 10, Barcelona’s defensive struggles have seen them concede 33 goals in 15 fixtures, resulting in them holding the joint-12th worst defensive record in La Liga. In their recent match against Granada,Xavi experimented with the defensive lineup, pairing Inigo Martinez with teenager Pau Cubarsi in the center of the back four and moving Andreas Christensen to a defensive-midfield role. However, the tactical adjustment did not yield the desired results, as Granada, the division’s second-bottom side, took a 3-2 lead with 24 minutes remaining before Barcelona managed to salvage a draw with a late equalizer from Lamine Yamal.
Barcelona now faces a challenging stretch of back-to-back away fixtures, first against Celta Vigo in domestic action and then traveling to play Napoli in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie. The upcoming matches pose a crucial test for Barcelona’s defensive stability and Xavi’s tactical adjustments.
