The number is uncomfortable in any language. Eighteen consecutive Champions League matches without a clean sheet, a run stretching back 559 days to a 4-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in April 2025.
The attacking numbers have obscured the problem. Across those European matches, Barcelona have kept scoring, according to Blaugranagram, the goals have flowed; the back door has stayed open.
Paris Saint-Germain pushed through it again on October 20. Désiré Doué opened the scoring at the Parc des Princes on 38 minutes before Xavi Espart marked his Champions League debut with the equalizer. Lucas Hernández then put PSG back in front, Lamine Yamal pulled Barcelona level at 2-2, and Vitinha and Fabián Ruiz struck late to seal a 4-2 win.
Mundo Deportivo blames the system, not the players
The Catalan sports daily Mundo Deportivo traced the problem to the same source that fuels Barcelona’s attacking brilliance: Flick’s high defensive line and aggressive press. The paper argued the structure trades stability for momentum and leaves acres of space behind the back four for opponents willing to counter at speed. Real Madrid, PSG and Inter Milan have all done it this calendar year.
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A back line held together with tape
Flick is also missing almost his entire first-choice defense. Jules Koundé and Eric García both picked up injuries against Real Betis and are out. Andreas Christensen remains sidelined with a thigh problem. That has left Pau Cubarsí and Gerard Martín, a natural left-back used in the middle, as the senior pairing against the sharpest attackers in Europe.
“Too many mistakes,” says Flick
The German coach pointed to accumulated fatigue after the PSG defeat.
“We made too many mistakes, especially in the second half,” Flick told beIN Sports, adding that his players “lost intensity” once PSG scored their third. He attributed the collapse to a lack of physical freshness after a demanding fortnight.
The 2026-27 season has provided little relief. The first Clásico ended in a 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid, with Flick again citing freshness. Flick, who recently extended his contract through June 2028, has shown no sign of pulling the defensive line back, and no fit senior center-back is scheduled to return before the next Champions League matchday.
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