Hansi Flick Pours Cold Water on Incredible New Barcelona Record—and Rightly So

Past precedent and one major issue which still persists is cause for caution in the eyes of Hansi Flick.

Hansi Flick tried to keep emotions in check. | David Ramirez/Soccrates/Getty Images

Barcelona’s 7–2 obliteration of Racing Santander on Wednesday evening represented the club’s seventh consecutive victory, which now serves as the club’s longest ever winning start to a new season. Hansi Flick, however, understood the euphoria without sharing it.

Despite failing to sign their dream target upfront, Julián Alvarez, Barcelona have enjoyed a ridiculously ruthless romp through the opening month of the new campaign, leading La Liga after six straight wins while starting their Champions League campaign by thrashing Feyenoord.

The midweek dismantling of newly promoted Racing was simply the latest stage on which Barcelona unleashed their attacking might. Raphinha, Lamine Yamal and summer recruit Karim Adeyemi led the rout in the pouring rain to achieve a start unseen in the 127-year history of the club.

“It’s always positive to have a good start,” Flick acknowledged before quickly adding. “The important thing is to finish well; that’s what we work for. We’re in a good run of form and need to capitalize on it.

“Of course, I understand the euphoria, but it’s only been six matchdays. The most important thing is to stay focused on the next game, not on things that might happen at the end of the season.”

Past precedent would suggest that Flick is right to mistrust fast starts.

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Greatest Starts to Barcelona Seasons Did Not Always Have Happy Endings

Lionel Messi did not enjoy a happy end to 2018–19. | Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Season	Consecutive Wins to Start	Final League Finish
1929–30	Six	2nd
1960–61	Six	4th
2018–19	Six	1st
2026–27	Seven	TBD

Prior to this term’s seven-game blitz, Barcelona had started three previous seasons with half a dozen wins: none ended in the same triumphant manner.

In 1929–30, the second ever season of La Liga, Barcelona’s rampant opening salvo was reeled in by Fred Pentland’s Athletic Club de Bilbao, which didn’t lose a single game across the entire league campaign.

There was an even more dramatic drop-off in 1960–61. The defending league champions started life in the absence of freshly departed manager Helenio Herrera with six straight wins, conceding just one goal along the way. They would win just six of their next 18 fixtures, lose the European Cup final to Benfica and finish a lowly fourth in La Liga.

Ernesto Valverde’s 2018–19 vintage did hold on to win the league after their blistering start but the campaign was overshadowed by the humiliating nature of their Champions League semifinal defeat to Liverpool. After winning the first leg 3–0 at Camp Nou, Lionel Messi & Co. were beaten 4–0 at Anfield.

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Barcelona’s Persistent Problem

Hansi Flick still hasn’t shored up Barcelona’s backline. | Javier Borrego/Europa Press/Getty Images

Statistic	Barcelona Value	League Rank
xG Conceded	7.23	6th
Shots Faced	44	1st
xG per Shot	0.16	20th

Stats via Opta.

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While many will struggle to see past the 7 (SEVEN) plastered across the scoreline of Wednesday’s victory, the two goals Barcelona conceded cannot be entirely overlooked. The attacking force Flick has created comes at the expense of a watertight rearguard.

Barcelona’s defensive struggles are a question of quality over quantity. No team in La Liga has conceded fewer shots than the reigning champions but these are invariably very clear sights of goal. Combining these contrasts leaves Barcelona with an expected goals conceded record which can be bettered by five clubs in the division this season.

This is a particularly prominent issue against elite teams who can consistently find a way of piercing Barcelona’s infamous high backline. Barcelona haven’t kept a Champions League clean sheet since April 2025. Inter Milan scored seven goals across their semifinal tie two seasons ago while Atlético Madrid downed the Catalans with two unanswered goals at Camp Nou last term.

In an attempt to balance that blistering attack with some defensive ballast, Barcelona bought one of the world’s best defensive midfielders this summer. However, it remains to be seen if Rodri can consistently replicate his stellar World Cup performances for Spain across the intensity of a full club campaign—something which he failed to do for Manchester City after recovering from his ACL tear.

The season has started well, but its conclusion is far from certain.

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