Barcelona secured a place in the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League after a 4-1 win over FC Copenhagen.
It was not the best of performances from the Blaugrana, who looked toothless in the first half. While the second half performance saw a visible improvement, coach Hansi Flick will be disappointed that the team conceded an unnecessary goal in the first half.
The goal from young Dadason meant that Barcelona have now achieved an unwanted milestone in the club’s storied history.
Eleven games without a clean sheet
Indeed, the lost clean sheet against Copenhagen marked the first time Barcelona have conceded in eleven consecutive Champions League matches.
This unwanted record comprises the eight matches in this season’s group stage and the final three knockout matches of the previous campaign.
Hansi Flick won’t be happy with Barcelona’s defensive record in the Champions League. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
The last time the Catalans managed a shutout in Europe was the first leg of the 2024-25 quarterfinals, a 4-0 thrashing of Dortmund.
Since then, the floodgates have remained open. They conceded in the return leg of that tie and shipped six goals across the two semifinal legs against Inter.
This season, the defensive fragility has been quite consistent. Barça have conceded against every opponent they have faced: Newcastle, PSG, Olympiacos, Club Brugge, Chelsea, Eintracht Frankfurt, Slavia Prague, and now Copenhagen.
Over these 11 matches, Barcelona has conceded a total of 24 goals, averaging 2.18 per game. In the current league stage, only Atletico Madrid (15) has conceded more than Barça’s 14 among the top 16 teams.
Flick will be aware that Barcelona cannot afford such a porous defence during the knockout rounds, as the club look to avoid the heartbreak of last season.