Barcelona Levels Up: A Stunning Surge in Long-Range Goals This Season

FC Barcelona has been making waves this season with their attacking firepower, capped by a 3-1 win over Espanyol. This victory pushed their total to 50 goals for the 2024/25 season, the highest after 15 matches since the start of the century.

A highlight of the match was Dani Olmo’s stunning long-range goal, which was Barcelona’s ninth from outside the box this season. To put this in perspective, last year the team managed only 10 long-range goals in 53 games.

This sharp contrast with previous seasons is notable. In Lionel Messi’s last season at Barcelona (2020/21), the club netted 17 goals from outside the box, with Messi scoring 10 of them. However, subsequent seasons saw a significant drop, with just eight long-range goals in 2021/22, five in 2022/23, and 10 last season.

Barcelona’s attacking approach has transformed this year, demonstrating increased confidence and effectiveness in scoring from distance. Lamine Yamal has been a standout, netting three long-range goals, while Pablo Torre has added two. Other players like Pedri, Robert Lewandowski, Pau Victor, and Dani Olmo have each contributed one, showcasing a team-wide improvement in shooting from outside the box.

As the season progresses, this shift in their offensive strategy strengthens Barcelona’s attacking threat, adding a new dimension to their game as they chase success.