Barça have made worst start to La Liga season since 2007

The bad fortune of losing Lionel Messi at the last minute or refereeing errors shouldn’t hide the fact that Barcelona’s goalless draw against Malaga means they’ve made their worst start to a La Liga season in a decade. 

Luis Enrique’s side have 26 points and are second in the table, four behind Real Madrid. On paper, nothing to worry about with 26 games to go in the championship. Another thing, though, is to look at the team’s trajectory throughout the last 10 seasons. 

You have to go back to 2007/08, the final year of Frank Rijkaard's tenure, to find a Barça side with less points at this stage of the campaign. They had 24 points, after losing at Getafe 2-0. A Getafe side coached by Michael Laudrup surprised Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry and Messi with goals from Manu del Moral and Albin. Barça would end up losing the title with two games still to play. 

This season, in the three years of Luis Enrique, is the one in which the Blaugrana have picked up the least points after 12 games. In 2014/15 they had 28 and in 2015/16 they had 30 points. 

It’s obviously not a determining factor, given Barça have dominated the league in the last 10 years, as the below information revels. 

So far this season, the numbers are worse than those posted in 2012-13 and 2013-14. However, in the letter Gerardo Martino’s side did not win the title, while Tito Vilanova did manage to do so in the season prior to that. 

Last 10 campaigns: 

Season 2007-08: 24 pts, 7 wins, 3 draws, 2 losses

Season 2008-09: 29 pts, 9 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss (Champions)

Season 2009-10: 30 pts, 9 wins, 3 draws, 0 losses (Champions)

Season 2010-11: 31 pts, 10 wins, 1 draws, 1 loss (Champions)

Season 2011-12: 28 pts, 8 wins, 4 draws, 0 losses

Season 2012-13: 34 pts, 11 wins, 1 draws, 0 losses (Champions)

Season 2013-14: 34 pts, 11 wins, 1 draws, 0 losses

Season 2014-15: 28 pts, 9 wins, 1 draws, 2 losses (Champions)

Season 2015-16: 30 pts, 10 wins, 0 draws, 2 losses (Champions)

Season 2016-17: 26 pts, 8 wins, 2 draws, 2 losses (2nd, 12 games)