Following their win over Copenhagen, Barcelona reached an unwanted milestone of conceding in 11 straight Champions League matches.
However, for all their defensive frailties, Barcelona have certainly produced the goods in the offensive department this season, notably emerging as the second-best attacking team in all of Europe this season.
A force to be reckoned with
According to data collated by Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona have netted as many as 91 goals across all competitions this season, trailing only Bayern Munich (106) in total output.
The Catalans have comfortably outscored their fiercest European rivals, sitting well ahead of Manchester City (81), PSG (81), and arch-rivals Real Madrid (78).
What makes Barcelona’s dominance unique is that the team is not entirely reliant on just one player. While Real Madrid relies heavily on Kylian Mbappe (40 goal contributions) and Bayern on Harry Kane (39), Barcelona have democratised their attack.
Raphinha, Barcelona player
The second-best attacking team in Europe this season. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
A remarkable eight different Barcelona players have generated more than 10 goals (goals plus assists) this season. In comparison, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern, and PSG only have five players each who have reached this double-digit threshold.
Leading this cooperative effort is Lamine Yamal, who sits at the top of the charts with 24 goal contributions (12 goals, 12 assists).
He is closely followed by Fermin Lopez with 21 contributions, and Marcus Rashford, who has been a revelation with 19 (9 goals, 10 assists).
The depth continues with Raphinha (18), Ferran Torres (16), Robert Lewandowski (13), Dani Olmo (11), and Pedri (10) all chipping in significantly.
This spread of responsibility has been vital for Flick, especially given that among the forwards, only Rashford and Roony Bardghji have avoided injury this season.