FC Barcelona are once again at the top of the league table, following Real Madrid’s defeat against Betis and Hansi Flick’s team’s victory against Real Sociedad (4-0) this Sunday at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. Just a month ago, the Catalans were watching the Whites from afar, but their great start to 2025 has lifted them to the top of the table on the basis of goals. In the last five matchdays, they have taken 15 points to Madrid’s five. Atlético have held their own: eleven out of fifteen.
In barely a month, Barça have managed to put ten goals past Real Madrid in an express comeback to take the sole lead. Carlos Ancelotti’s side are going through a bad patch having lost at Cornellà (1-0) and against Real Betis, and drawing against Osasuna and Atlético de Madrid, while the azulgrana were going full steam ahead with victories against Alavés (1-0), Sevilla (1-4), Rayo (1-0), Las Palmas (0-2) and Real Sociedad (4-0).
The record, in the case of Ancelotti’s team, is hard to take in: one win in five games, five points out of a possible 15 and the same number of defeats as in the rest of the season in the competition. On the other side of the coin, Barça are 5 out of 5. The third team in contention is Atlético de Madrid with a record of three wins and two draws, or what is the same, 11 points out of a possible 15. At the beginning of March, Barça are leaders with a three-point advantage over Ancelotti’s team and one over Atlético.
A Barça comeback based on goals. 124 goals in 40 games (average of 3.1). With a lot of the season still to play, FC Barcelona have already scored more goals than in the last five seasons. Last season they scored 110, compared to 101 in the 2022-23 season. In 2021-22 they barely reached 86. And in 2020-21, Messi’s last, they scored 122.