Barcelona break incredible 21st-century record even Messi’s teams could not match

Barcelona have made the kind of start that even the greatest attacking sides in their history would struggle to match.

Hansi Flick’s team have scored 36 goals in their first eight competitive matches, which is the best tally in Barcelona’s history at this stage.

It is also the second-highest total recorded by any team in La Liga history, with only Sevilla’s 1940/41 side having scored more.

The numbers become even more dangerous when the goals are broken down.

To put it in perspective, Barça have already produced seven braces and two hat-tricks, giving them nine multi-goal individual performances before the campaign has properly settled.

Raphinha and Lamine Yamal lead scoring surge

Keeping aside the 2-0 victory over Athletic Club, Barcelona have scored at least three goals in every match across La Liga and the Champions League.

Raphinha has been the main force behind the explosion, scoring 14 goals, including braces against Elche, Rayo Vallecano and Feyenoord, followed by consecutive hat-tricks against Racing Santander and Sevilla.

Raphinha, Lamine and Fermin are operating on a different level. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

His other goals came against Athletic and Valencia, meaning Raphinha has scored in every Barcelona game except the meeting with Levante.

Lamine Yamal is not far behind. The teenager has seven goals, with braces against Rayo Vallecano, Valencia and Levante, while he also scored against Racing.

He has added four assists and sits alongside Anthony Gordon at the top of Barcelona’s assist charts.

Meanwhile, Fermin Lopez completes the leading trio, with a brace against Elche and further goals against Athletic and Valencia. He scored in three of Barça’s opening four matches.

Barcelona have gone beyond even the Messi era

The frequency of these individual scoring bursts is arguably more remarkable than the overall tally.

Barcelona’s seven braces and two hat-tricks amount to nine multi-goal performances, which, as per Mundo Deportivo, is the best start of the 21st century.

Even the Lionel Messi-led teams never matched that figure across their first eight competitive fixtures.

Lamine Yamal is one of Barcelona’s top attacking outlay. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

In 2016/17, Barça had four braces and two hat-tricks during the equivalent period, producing 14 goals between them.

Messi accounted for two braces and one hat-trick, while Luis Suarez registered the other brace and hat-trick, with Arda Turan also scoring twice.

Flick has created a recurring goalscoring trend

This attacking output is not entirely new under Flick, as his first season at Barcelona also produced plenty of individual scoring feats, with Robert Lewandowski registering two braces, Yamal one, and Raphinha contributing a brace and a hat-trick.

Last season brought another five braces, scored by Lewandowski, Raphinha, Fermin, Marcus Rashford and Ferran Torres.

The difference now is the sheer speed at which Barcelona are producing them.

With 36 goals already on the board, Flick’s side is creating a succession of individual performances that are beginning to put this start into historic territory.