Barcelona has the worst defense of 2024 in Europe’s top five leagues
FC Barcelona have let in the most goals out of any team in Europe’s top five leagues in the 2024 calendar year.
In 11 games across all competitions, the defending league champions have let in 23 goals. It’s a far cry from the 2022-23 season, in which Barcelona relied on a stingy defense to win the title. They only conceded 20 goals in 38 league matches, with a large proportion coming in only after they had secured the title.
Xavi may have hoped the return of Marc-André ter Stegen would help stem the tide, but in his first outing at least, the German goalkeeper didn’t fare much better than Iñaki Peña. Barcelona conceded three goals in a draw with Granada.
While injuries have played a role in Barcelona’s decline since last season, they are clearly not the only reason. The team is just performing a lot worse when it comes to defending, and without massive improvements, any attempt to compete for silverware will be futile.
