AS: Barcelona has conceded 20 goals in 15 games this season, creating the team’s second-worst defensive record this century.

November 6 According to statistics from "AS", Barcelona has conceded 20 goals in 15 games this season, creating the second-worst record of conceding goals this century.

Barcelona's 3-3 away draw with Bruges failed to completely reverse the decline of losing the El Clasico. Barcelona conceded 3 goals there and, like many games this season, showed a worrying sense of instability.

In 15 official games this season, Barcelona has conceded 20 goals, an average of 1.3 goals per game, which is the second worst figure in this century. Oddly enough, Barcelona's worst defensive record this century came in the 2015/16 season: they conceded 23 goals in their first 15 games. Despite this, Barcelona eventually won the double under the leadership of Enrique.

History proves that everything can change and problems can always find solutions, but Barcelona's defensive performance from the beginning of this season is worrying. Whenever the opponent launches an attack, Barcelona's defense is always full of shakes. For example, Bruges had 11 shots on goal out of 23 attacks, 6 of which resulted in clear scoring opportunities. One out of every four possessions is a clear scoring opportunity. This data is irrefutable, but Flick said after the game that he would stick to his football philosophy.

So, what happened? No one seems to be able to find the answer. The departure of Inigo Martinez cannot explain everything. He is a leader who can both talk and play. He is an extension of Flick on the court and is responsible for organizing the team, but this is not enough to be a reason enough to explain the team's defensive problems.

Barcelona today is also aware of its own fragility. Flick's tactics weren't the only thing that went wrong. There were problems with the team's pressing rhythm and coordination, including the cooperation between the forwards and midfielders, which ultimately led to the exposure of the defense. The team lost its intensity, so much so that in the entire game against Bruges, Barcelona only committed 6 fouls. The defensive intensity was obviously insufficient and the bite force was weakened.

A worrying sign for Barcelona is that Flick is already thinking that when Garcia, Rafinha, and Pedri return, and Olmo and Lewandowski return to their best form, the team's situation may be different. However, it is noticeable that injuries did not become an excuse for Flick when Barcelona performed poorly last season.