SoccerSep 26
Barcelona’s blistering start puts Flick’s side among Europe’s historic pace-setters
With 36 goals and eight wins from eight matches, Barcelona have opened the campaign in extraordinary form, led by Raphinha’s record-breaking scoring run.
By OddsListing wire desk
· 2 min read
On this page3 sections
Barcelona overwhelm early opposition
Barcelona have reached the international break with a perfect record and an attack that has repeatedly overwhelmed opponents. Hansi Flick’s side won their opening eight matches across all competitions, scoring 36 goals while allowing eight. The run includes seven LaLiga victories and a 5-1 Champions League win over Feyenoord. Barcelona have scored at least five goals on five occasions, building a plus-28 goal difference that places their opening spell among the strongest in Europe’s leading leagues.
Raphinha leads the charge
Raphinha has thrived while filling in at center forward after Barcelona’s summer pursuit of Atlético Madrid striker Julián Álvarez fell through. The Brazilian has contributed 14 goals in eight appearances across all competitions, including 12 in seven league matches. Successive hat tricks against Racing Santander and Sevilla pushed him beyond Cesar Rodríguez’s club record of 13 goals in eight games, established in 1948-49. His Sevilla treble featured finishes with his left foot, right foot and head. Lamine Yamal has also been central to the surge, supplying eight goals and six assists across all competitions.
A historic benchmark remains out of reach
Measured by goal difference over the opening eight national-level matches, Barcelona’s 2026-27 start still trails Real Madrid’s remarkable 1929 cup run. Madrid scored 38 goals and conceded seven across their opening eight Copa del Rey fixtures, producing a plus-31 goal difference. Regional competition results are excluded from that comparison. Barcelona’s current mark comfortably exceeds the plus-20 recorded by Madrid over their opening eight matches in 2014-15 and Manchester City’s plus-21 start in 2016-17. The attacking pace is exceptional, though those historical comparisons also underline that an explosive opening does not guarantee how a season will end.
Analysis, not a wagering instruction. Confirm every number on the sportsbook. 21+.
