Barcelona's extraordinary start to the season continued with another five-goal performance on Saturday, this time against Real Betis. The La Liga leaders opened the campaign with nine victories in nine matchdays - matching the all-time record set by Real Madrid in the 1968/69 season - and that record could be broken in the next round during the high-stakes El Clasico.
Aside from the current Barca side, the only other team to start a season with 39 goals or more in the first nine matchdays was Sevilla, back in the 1940/41 campaign. The Catalans currently boast the best goal difference after nine games (+30, 39-9), tied with Real Madrid’s 1987/88 squad (+30, 32-2).
Across all competitions, the Catalans' winning streak stands at 11 matches, featuring an impressive total of 48 goals scored, just three days ahead of their intriguing Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain. It remains unclear who, if anyone, can halt Hansi Flick’s offensive machine - one that has netted at least four goals in six of its first nine La Liga matches.
"Three more points," summarized Hansi Flick. "We controlled the game. After they equalized to 1-1, we managed to react and score a second goal before halftime, and I'm happy about it. We saw an incredible Betis side; their speed and aggressiveness were simply unbelievable. It was a very tough match. How you train is how you play. We train at an excellent level, and you can see that in the soccer we produce on the pitch. The good atmosphere and hard work are the most important parts of our training sessions. Lamine Yamal is the best player in the world right now. When I substituted him, I told him I was proud of him."
Rodrigo, who scored his debut goal for the club, added: "It's amazing to celebrate a debut goal, I'm very happy here. This team is showing its potential. We are about to face Paris Saint-Germain, perhaps the best team in the world, and it will be a good test. Lamine Yamal has already accustomed us to this; he knows how to turn games around."