FCBARCELONA.CAT

25.09.2008 12:17

Average of four goals

Jordi Clos

Barça have produced the very best of their attacking football in recent games. In three matches, they have been on target no fewer than twelve times.

Despite creating plenty of goalscoring opportunities, Barça started the league finding it difficult to put their chances away. They reencountered their goalscoring touch in the Champions League against Sporting Lisbon, and continued that form in their third and fourth league outings. In total, the games with Sporting Lisbon, Sporting Gijón and Betis produced 12 Barça goals, one every 22.5 minutes, and an average of four a match. It has been such devastating form in front of goal that has been decisive in three consecutive wins.

Evenly spread

The authors of said goals have been many and varied. Samuel Eto'o leads the way with four (one from the penalty spot). Then come Leo Messi and a midfielder, Xavi Hernández, with two each. The others have come from Márquez, an own goals from Sporting’s Jorge, Iniesta and Gudjohnsen.

Messi and Xavi top in assists

With his two passes to Eto'o against Betis, Leo Messi is Barça’s leader in assists in this season’s league. He also laid on a goal for Iniesta to make it 4-1 at El Molinón, making a total of three. That is a tally he shares with Xavi, who has taken two corners that have ended up in the net, as well as a cross for Messi to score the sixth and final goal for Barça in Gijón.

Third highest scorer

Barça, with ten goals to date, are the third highest scoring side in the championship behind just Real Madrid (14) and Atlético Madrid (11), although there are still four games to be played in the fourth round of matches. In the Champions League, only Chelsea, who beat Bordeaux 4-0, have scored more than the three Barcelona scored against Sporting.