Barcelona’s strong start under Hansi Flick is marred by a key problem he must solve

There is not much to complain about Barcelona’s start to the season for the team has been flying, especially with the attack flowing freely and goals coming at free will.

The story at the back, however, has not been as rosy as the Catalans have struggled to maintain clean sheets. While indeed there are a couple of reasons for their defensive struggles, it is a subject that must be addressed soon.

An apt comparison

Barcelona last won La Liga two years ago under Xavi and it was the defence that stood out that term as the team broke historic league records in terms of goals conceded and clean sheets.

Eight match days into the campaign that season, Barcelona had conceded just one goal in La Liga.

Barcelona have conceded 11 goals in 10 matches. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

At the same juncture this term, the Blaugrana have conceded nine goals and thus average more than one goal conceded per game.

The 2-4 defeat against Osasuna indeed exaggerates the number but the fact of the matter remains that Barcelona have only maintained two clean sheets in the league so far.

If one includes the UEFA Champions League games, they have allowed opponents to score 11 times in 10 games with a similar average.

Hansi Flick and Co. are indeed without the team’s best defenders in Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen and with Jules Kounde as a right-back. Marc-Andre Ter Stegen’s injury is just the latest on the list of injuries at the back.

Yet, Flick must look to improve the team’s defensive record if he is to make their path to the title easier. After all, Inigo Martinez and Pau Cubarsi are both operating at a high level and are capable of overseeing far more clean sheets than they have.