SCOUTING BARCELONA: Emphatically good at almost everything

Barcelona's German coach Hansi Flick arrives to give a press conference at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris on October 19, 2026, ahead of the UEFA Champions League first round day 3 football match between Paris Saint Germain (PSG) and FC Barcelona. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images Barcelona have made a perfect start under Hansi Flick this season—winning all nine league matches while scoring 39 goals and conceding nine. Four of their goals have come from penalties and two from own goals.Their attacking numbers are the strongest in La Liga. Barcelona have created 23.5 non-penalty expected goals (npxG), averaging a league-high 2.61 per match. Their 33 non-penalty goals, excluding own goals, put them 9.5 goals above that expected return. Their most productive two-match spell came in games six and seven, when they averaged 3.13 npxG. Raphinha leads the squad with 4.4 npxG and nine goals, followed by Lamine Yamal with 4.3 npxG and seven goals, and Karim Adeyemi with 2.7 npxG and two goals.Barcelona have also allowed the fewest chances by npxG, conceding 8.2 in total, or 0.91 per match. Their nine non-penalty goals conceded are close to that expected return. They were at their tightest in games seven and eight, allowing an average of just 0.41 npxG.They defend high up the pitch. Their defensive actions take place an average of 39.9 metres from their own goal line, the highest figure in La Liga. Their centre-backs receive the ball an average of 42.3 metres from goal, the second-highest figure in the league.That territorial control extends into the opposition’s third. Barcelona account for 76.2% of all final-third passes in their matches, the highest field tilt in La Liga, and have held the larger share in eight of their nine games. Across the season, they have controlled 19 of the pitch’s 24 zones, taking more than 55% of the touches in each. Their opponents have controlled just two.Their pressing numbers are equally strong. Barcelona’s PPDA is a league-low 7.5, compared with the league average of 12.3. With the ball, Barcelona complete a league-high 616 open-play passes per match. Of all passes they receive, 24.8% arrive in the final third, ranking ninth in La Liga. Their most-used shape is 4-3-3, and Eric García and Lamine Yamal are their busiest passing partnership, exchanging 151 passes.Barcelona’s completed passes have generated 15.8 expected threat (xT), or 1.76 per match, the second-highest total in the league. Yamal leads the squad with 2.40 xT, followed by Pedri on 1.40 and Dani Olmo on 1.30.They have taken 186 non-penalty shots, averaging 20.7 per match. Those attempts come from an average distance of 16.8 metres, the second shortest in La Liga, and carry an average value of 0.13 npxG. Barcelona have spent most of the season ahead. Across 900 minutes, including stoppage time, they have led for 735 minutes (81.7%), been level for 155 (17.2%) and trailed for just 10 (1.1%). No other La Liga side has spent more time winning.