Barcelona Shatter 21st-Century Scoring Record Surpassing Even Messi’s Best Teams

Barcelona have kicked off their season with a scoring run that even the most prolific teams in their history would find tough to equal. Under Hansi Flick, they have netted 36 goals in just eight competitive matches, marking the highest tally at this stage in the club's history.

Historic La Liga Scoring Feat

This impressive number is also the second-best start any team has recorded in La Liga, trailing only Sevilla’s 1940/41 team. The breakdown of these goals reveals an even more startling picture.

• Seven braces and two hat-tricks have been registered by Barcelona players so far.
• These nine multi-goal performances have come before the season has fully settled.

Raphinha and Lamine Yamal Leading the Attack

Apart from a 2-0 win against Athletic Club, Barcelona have scored three or more goals in every La Liga and Champions League match so far.

• Raphinha tops the scoring charts with 14 goals, including braces versus Elche, Rayo Vallecano, and Feyenoord, plus back-to-back hat-tricks against Racing Santander and Sevilla.
• His other goals came against Athletic and Valencia, leaving only the Levante game without a goal from him.
• Lamine Yamal, the teenage sensation, has tallied seven goals with multiple braces against Rayo Vallecano, Valencia, and Levante, along with a goal against Racing.
• Yamal has also contributed four assists, sharing the lead in Barcelona’s assist rankings with Anthony Gordon.
• Fermin Lopez rounds out the top scorers with a brace against Elche and goals against Athletic and Valencia, scoring in three of the first four matches.

Outscoring Even Messi’s Golden Era

The frequency of these multiple-goal games stands out more than the total goals. With seven braces and two hat-tricks, this marks the best start to a season for Barcelona in the 21st century, surpassing teams led by Lionel Messi.

During the 2016/17 season, the equivalent period saw four braces and two hat-tricks totaling 14 goals, with Messi responsible for two braces and a hat-trick. Luis Suarez also contributed one brace and one hat-trick, while Arda Turan scored twice.

Flick’s Consistent Goal-Scoring Pattern

Flick’s teams have consistently produced multiple-goal performances. In his first Barcelona season, Robert Lewandowski had two braces, Yamal one, and Raphinha added a brace plus a hat-trick. Last season featured five braces shared among Lewandowski, Raphinha, Fermin, Marcus Rashford, and Ferran Torres.

The current difference lies in the pace; Barcelona are churning out these performances faster than ever. Accumulating 36 goals so early is pushing this start toward historic levels under Flick’s guidance.