FCBARCELONA.CAT

18.06.2007 12:19

Goals not enough

Berta Brau/Sergi Nogueras

Barça have ended the season as La Liga’s top scorers and have also conceded the fewest goals. However, that wasn’t enough to clinch the league title, which escaped Barça due to the head-to-head goal difference.

Football is all about scoring – and preventing – goals. Despite ending the season with the best record on both accounts, Barça have lost their grip on the La Liga title due to the head-to-head goal difference with Real Madrid. Barça have scored 78 goals in 38 matches and conceded just 33. No other team can match them, but in the end that wasn’t enough.

Ronaldinho, Messi and Eto’o

The strike force composed of Ronaldinho, Messi and Eto’o has made a major contribution with Ronaldinho and Messi both setting new personal records in the league with 21 and 14 goals respectively. Meanwhile, Eto’o has scored 11 goals despite being sidelined by injury for five months.

More than ten teams

These three players have formed the most effective attack in the Spanish league, to the extent that they alone have scored more goals than 10 other teams in the First Division (Getafe, Racing, Mallorca, Deportivo, Levante, Betis, Athletic Bilbao, Celta, Real Sociedad and Nàstic) and have equalled the goal tally of Atlético Madrid and Espanyol.

Goal difference of +45

Barça’s goal difference for the season amounts to +45 compared with +25 for Real Madrid and +29 for Sevilla. In fact, Barça has improved or equalled its record compared with the last two title winning seasons. The goal difference for 2004-05 season was +44 (73 scored and 29 conceded) and for the 2005-06 season +45 (80 scored and 35 conceded).