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05.10.2009 13:01
Strength in defence
Marc Guillén
Barça have conceded just three goals in the opening six league matches, their best start to a season for five years. They have the best defensive record ahead of Sevilla and Real Madrid.
Josep Guardiola has gone on record as saying that the defence is the most important part of his team, so he will be pretty happy with the defensive performances so far. At this stage of the season last year, Barça had already conceded seven goals.
The best defensive start for five years
We have to go back to the 2004/05season to find the last occasion when
Barça (managed by Frank Rijkaard) conceded just 3 goals in the opening 6 matches. However, this
season’s results have been even better, with 17 goals scored as opposed to 13 five years ago.
Two goals conceded in 2001/02
However, if we go back to the 2001/02 season, with Rexach on the
manager’s bench, Barça conceded a miserly 2 goals in the opening 6 matches – but only
managed to score 10. Rexach’s team had also drawn 2 of these matches whereas
Guardiola’s men have a 100% record so far.
Same points, worse goal difference
Barça’s six wins in six matches has equalled the Club’s best ever start to a league season - the last time Barça started with 6 wins out of 6 was under Louis Van Gaal in the 1997/98 season. However, that side had scored one fewer and conceded one more than the current Barça squad.
Fewest shots on target
Speaking after the 5-2 thrashing of Atlético Madrid, Guardiola surprised everyone by criticising
his team’s defensive performance, saying that they had given away too many shooting
opportunities. Guardiola is happier when the opponents fail to create any gaol scoring chances, as
in the matches against Almeria and Malaga. In these opening six matches, Barça has received 15
shots on target, many fewer than Sevilla (23) and Osasuna (24). Almeria has received the most shots
on target – 37.
