Flick’s tactical tweaks pay off as Barcelona match defensive record not seen since 2023

The debate around Barcelona has largely been happening at the other end of the pitch.

Is Julian Alvarez on the way? Should Raphinha continue as Hansi Flick’s number nine? 

Those questions have dominated the conversation around Barça’s early weeks, but the strongest evidence of the team’s progress may be coming from a defence that has made the perfect start to the La Liga season.

Two matches, two victories and, crucially, two clean sheets.

Barcelona began their campaign by beating Elche 5-0 before following it up with a 2-0 win over Athletic Club. Alongside Real Betis, they are the only side in La Liga still to concede a goal.

Notably, for the first time in his Barcelona tenure, Hansi Flick has guided the team through the opening two league matches without conceding.

That is a significant shift from previous campaigns. In 2024/25, Flick’s first season in charge, Barça won their first two matches but conceded against both Valencia and Athletic Club. 

The following season brought another pair of victories, including a clean sheet against Mallorca, but Levante still found the net twice in the second fixture.

Simply put, Barcelona have not opened a La Liga season with back-to-back clean sheets since 2023/24. 

Flick has made several changes to his defence. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Against Elche, the Barcelona manager selected Eric Garcia, Andreas Christensen, Gerard Martin and Xavi Espart across his back four. 

The performance brought a clean sheet and gave Flick further evidence of the versatility within his squad.

New arrival Joao Cancelo has since expanded his options, but Eric Garcia has already established himself as Flick’s preferred choice at right-back. 

The centre of defence has also been carefully managed. Christensen partnered Gerard Martín on the opening matchday, with the combination performing reliably, before Pau Cubarsi returned to the lineup against Athletic.

It is the sort of flexibility Flick did not always have at his disposal in previous seasons. 

Rather than relying on one settled partnership, he can now adjust his Barcelona defence depending on availability, form and the demands of each opponent.

Xavi Espart is making a strong case for himself. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

The situation at left-back is particularly interesting.

Alejandro Balde remained on the bench against Athletic Club, while Xavi Espart continued to make the most of his opportunity. 

The youngster has shown he can perform across several positions, offering Flick a tactical solution in a squad where adaptability is becoming important.

For now, Barcelona’s defensive structure has looked solid.

Indeed, it is too early to judge, but the team has finally achieved something that was never achieved under Flick before – two clean sheets in the first two matches.