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1 month ago
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Barcelona are set to kick off their 2024/25 La Liga season with an away match against Valencia, aiming to secure a win in their first game of the new campaign.
This opening match is crucial, as the team hopes to overcome past challenges that have plagued them in similar situations.
In the past 15 years, Barcelona have started their La Liga season away from home four times. Unfortunately, their performances in these away games have been less than stellar.
In their last two away season openers, they failed to secure a win, with one match ending in a draw and the other in a defeat.
To make matters worse, Barcelona did not manage to score in either of these games, a worrying trend they will be eager to reverse this season.
A brief history of Barcelona’s away matches
Looking back, Barcelona’s record in away season openers has had its ups and downs. In the 2010-11 season, they started strong with a 3-0 victory against Racing, followed by a 1-0 win against Athletic Bilbao in the 2015-16 season.
However, their luck changed in the following years. They suffered a 0-1 defeat against Athletic Club in the 2019-20 season and were held to a goalless draw by Getafe in their 2022-23 opener.
Barcelona will aim for a win against Valencia. (Photo by SAMUEL CORUM/AFP via Getty Images)
The latter match was particularly frustrating for the team, as it highlighted some contentious refereeing decisions.
Home matches have been fun
In contrast to their struggles in away games, Barcelona have been far more successful when starting the season at home. Over the past 15 years, whenever they began their campaign at Camp Nou, they rarely faltered.
The team won 10 out of 11 home openers, with the only draw being a 0-0 result against Rayo Vallecano in the 2011-12 season.
During this period, Barcelona delivered several emphatic victories, including a 5-0 win against Villarreal in 2011-12, a 5-1 triumph over Real Sociedad in 2012-13, a 7-0 thrashing of Levante in 2013-14, and a 6-2 win against Real Betis in 2016-17.
As Barcelona head into their 2024/25 season opener against Valencia, the pressure is on to break their recent streak of disappointing away performances.
With the team’s history of strong home openers, fans will be hoping they can carry that form into their away matches, starting with a crucial victory at Valencia.
The Blaugrana will need to be at their best to start the season on the right foot, with the hope of securing the 3 points and setting the tone for a successful campaign ahead.
