Given the history and prestige of FC Barcelona, it is normal for various generations of the team to be compared. Expectations are always high and it consequently demands that the club keep up with said expectations every season. However, things are always easier said than done at Barcelona.
Ultimately, due to the vast success that the club has enjoyed in the past, a lot of baggage and burden is placed upon the succeeding generations. Even right now, in Hansi Flick’s first season of managing Barcelona, there is a lot of hope and optimism riding on his team’s shoulders to achieve wonders.
However, despite such expectations, Hansi Flick’s team has managed to do quite a few things right. One of those things is the drastic improvement in terms of the team’s threat to opposition sides from outside the box.
This particular weapon of Hansi Flick’s team, as highlighted by Mundo Deportivo, is one that outshines even the Barcelona team of 2016/2017. Interestingly, that team was led by the legendary trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar Jr, under the mentorship of Luis Enrique.
In that season, the MSN-led Barcelona managed to score an average of 0.42 goals per game from range throughout the campaign. This season’s average so far, on the other hand, is 0.53 goals per game and it just goes on to show how effective and multi-faceted Flick’s team is.
Moreover, over the last ten years, no Barcelona team has been as effective as this side when it comes to shooting and scoring from distance in terms of efficiency and output. To compare it to last season’s side, Flick’s team already has one more goal from outside the box than Xavi’s team did in the entirety of their campaign.
Last season, the team took an average of 4.55 attempts from outside the box and maintained an average of 0.21 goals from outside the area per game. On the other hand, this season the team has taken an average of 6.24 shots from outside the box and maintains a scoring average of 0.53 goals per game.
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BARCELONA, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 30: Raphinha of FC Barcelona scores his team's first goal during the LaLiga match between FC Barcelona and UD Las Palmas at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on November 30, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain.
Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo with Hansi Flick.
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: Enzo Fernandez of Chelsea looks on during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Newcastle United and Chelsea at St James' Park on October 30, 2024 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
It remains to be seen just how well the team manages to continue this trend and the effectiveness of the method, but early signs have been promising. With most of the season still left to play, there will be a lot more opportunities for this Barcelona team to excel even further if they can manage to keep it up or even improve.