15 important stats from Barcelona's start to the season
The international break is a good moment to analyse what's happened so far this season. It's been an irregular start and these are the 15 pieces of data that you should know from FC Barcelona's campaign.
1. Overload in the centre
Of the five players who have accumulated the most minutes, three are central midfielders. They are: Javier Mascherano, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitic and Lionel Messi.
2. Inequal distribution of minutes
Between Mascherano, Busquets and Rakitic they have played 2913 minutos, more than between Mathieu, Adriano, Alves, Bartra, Vermaelen and Piqué together (2830).
3. More dependency on the trident
16 of the 21 goals Barcelona have scored are by the trident, 76% of the total. Last season the percentage was 69.71%.
4. The 'MSN' still haven't sharpened their knives
Messi, Neymar and Luis Suárez are below their goalscoring ryhthm at the moment. In comparison to last season, the Argentine has gone from a goal each 87 minutes to one every 135. The Brazilian from one every 105 to 186 and the Uruguayan from 141 to 176.
5. No goals from the creative midfielders Iniesta and Rakitic
Apart from the trident, only Sergi Roberto, Vermaelen, Bartra and Rafinha have found the net, once each.
6. A Barcelona of second halves
Two thirds of Barcelona's goals have come in this period. In fact, only against Las Palmas were Barcelona leading at the break. Apart from the Super Copas, only 13% of the strikes - 2 of 15 - have come in the first half.
7. First time
16 of the 21 goals scored by Luis Enrique's team have been netted with the first touch.
8. Dead balls
One of every four goals scored is the result of a set piece. And the percentage would be greater if Messi and Neymar hadn't wasted three penalties.
9. Ter Stegen falling back away from Bravo
Ter Stegen, who has played more than double the minutes of Bravo, has conceded 17 of the 20 goals. The German concedes one every half, while the Chilean is each 125 minutues.
10. Breached
Only in two of 12 games have Barcelona got clean sheets. In both cases Claudio Bravo achieved it, against Athletic and Málaga in the first two weeks of the league campaign.
11. Defensive improvement needed
None of the top nine teams in La Liga has let in more goals than Barcelona (9). Real Madrid have only shipped twice.
12. Catalans don't draw
Barça and Espanyol are the only two teams that have not drawn this season in La Liga.
13. A weak Barcelona attack
Only in two of 12 games have Barça scored more than two goals. And only against Levante have they won by more than a single goal.
14. Sandro, left out
Without counting Douglas, Sandro is the player who has had the least minutes (245). Then Adriano with 275, and Munir with 301.
15. Sergi Roberto has taken a step forward
That Luis Enrique now trusts Sergi Roberto is shown in the fact that the canterano is the player with the seventh most minutes in the squad. Injuries have fallen in his favour, but it's clear he's stepped up the pace too.