FC Barcelona’s defense has made a remarkable offensive impact this season, contributing to 36 goals—the second-highest tally among the top five European leagues, only behind Inter Milan (37).

With 12 goals and 24 assists, the defenders under Hansi Flick’s system have played a crucial role in Barcelona’s attacking setup, directly participating in 36 of the team’s 120 goals this season.

Barcelona’s Defense Leads LaLiga in Attacking Contributions

In LaLiga EA Sports, Barcelona dominates in defensive contributions, leading the rankings ahead of:

• Athletic Club (20)
• Celta de Vigo (20)
• Girona (20)
• Real Madrid (18)

Among the 12 goals scored by Barcelona’s defenders, the most prolific contributors have been:

• Íñigo Martínez (3)
• Jules Koundé (3)
• Eric García (3)
• Ronald Araújo (1)
• Alejandro Balde (1)
• Pau Cubarsí (1) (his first-ever goal for Barcelona, scored in the Copa del Rey against Atlético Madrid).

Koundé and Balde: Dominant on the Wings

Aside from scoring, Barcelona’s full-backs have been crucial in creating goal-scoring opportunities, combining for 24 assists this season:

• Jules Koundé (8) and Alejandro Balde (6) have been Barcelona’s top assist providers from defense, ranking in the team’s top 5 for assists.
• Gerard Martín (2) has also contributed assists from the full-back position.
• In the center-back role, Íñigo Martínez (3), Pau Cubarsí (3), Ronald Araújo (1), and Eric García (1) have also added key assists.

Does Barcelona’s Defense Attack More Than It Defends?

Despite their attacking prowess, Barcelona’s defensive weaknesses remain evident. The team has conceded 43 goals this season, raising concerns over its ability to maintain balance.

One key issue is late-game lapses—around 30% of the goals conceded have occurred in the last 15 minutes of matches, highlighting difficulties in closing out games.

Despite having key midfielders like Frenkie de Jong and Pedri, Barcelona’s lack of quality depth—especially in full-back positions and attack—has led to defensive vulnerabilities. Additionally, the team lacks a midfield controller who can dictate play in crucial moments.

This fragility was evident in the 4-4 draw against Atlético Madrid, where Barcelona failed to hold onto a lead. Although goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny has gained recognition for his performances, Barcelona must reinforce its defensive stability to prevent costly mistakes that could jeopardize results.