Barcelona’s recent struggles have been difficult to ignore. While the team’s attacking potential has shown some promise, their inability to convert chances into goals and their defensive lapses have been major causes of concern.
These missed opportunities in nearly every match have played a significant role in the team’s disappointing run of results.
One of the most worrying aspects of Barcelona’s season so far is the gap between their attacking numbers and actual outcomes.
As it stands, Barcelona lead the La Liga standings for goals scored, having netted 51 goals. They also top the chart for creating clear-cut chances, with 85 in total.
However, despite these impressive figures, they have also missed the most clear chances in the league—50 in total. This paradox has left many questioning where the team could be in the standings if they were more efficient in front of the goal.
A detailed comparison
When we look at the stats, it is clear that Barcelona’s numbers are head and shoulders above the rest. Real Madrid, who have scored 41 goals, are the second-highest scorers in the league.
They are also second in terms of creating clear chances, but they only have 58. In comparison, Barcelona’s 85 chances is a significant lead.
Behind Barça in missed clear chances are teams like Real Betis, who have missed 35, showing just how much room for improvement there is in converting opportunities.
What went wrong for Barcelona?
The match against Atletico Madrid highlighted these worrying statistics. Barcelona created seven clear chances but only managed to score once.
In contrast, Atletico Madrid, who created just two clear chances, were far more clinical, taking advantage of the limited opportunities.
In the 0-1 defeat against Leganes, Barcelona had three clear chances to score, while their opponents only had one.
Similarly, in games against Real Betis and Celta Vigo, the chances were more evenly distributed, with Barcelona failing to capitalize on the opportunities they created.
The fact that Barcelona are generating these chances, but failing to convert them, leaves much to be desired.
No shortage of experts
One factor contributing to this issue is the sheer number of chances created by individual players. Barcelona have two of the most prolific chance generators in La Liga this season.
Raphinha leads the team, having created 19 clear chances, while Lamine Yamal has added 14. However, the problem lies in the fact that these creative players are not always supported by a clinical finish from the forwards.
The team’s forwards, such as Lewandowski and Raphinha, are among the top players who have missed the most clear-cut chances this season.
Lewandowski and Kylian Mbappe are tied at the top of the list with 14 missed chances, followed by Ez Abde with 13, and Raphinha with 11. These missed opportunities are costly and have been a recurring theme in Barcelona’s disappointing results.
The issue is clear
While Hansi Flick has his work cut out for him in terms of finding solutions to fix the team’s overall balance, the most urgent issue is clear: Barcelona must become more ruthless in front of goal.
Their attacking play has often been promising, but the inability to convert chances has been a persistent problem. This issue needs to be addressed quickly if the team is to improve their results.
Looking at the bigger picture, Barcelona’s attacking numbers still hold up against Europe’s top leagues. In terms of clear chances created, Barcelona’s 85 is matched only by Paris Saint-Germain, who have created 86 in Ligue 1.
PSG, however, have been far superior in the French league. In contrast, teams like Liverpool, Bayern Munich, and Atalanta have generated far fewer clear chances, with Liverpool at 71, Bayern at 67, and Atalanta also at 67.
Stats taken from SPORT.
