How has Barcelona started LaLiga seasons with and without Messi?

For the first time in the last six seasons, Barcelona are playing without their talisman Lionel Messi…

For the first time in 17 years, FC Barcelona are playing without their talismanic forward Lionel Messi who moved to France to join PSG after his contract ended with the Spanish club this summer.

A Messi-less Barcelona side kicked off their 2021/22 LaLiga season on August 15, 2021, against Real Sociedad. The Catalan side registered a convincing 4-2 win over the minnows to begin their La Liga campaign.

So far they have played six matches in the league and have managed to remain unbeaten. Barcelona have won three games and drew thrice in this season so far. With 12 points from six outings, they are sixth on the league table, five points behind arch-rivals and league leaders Real Madrid but with a game in hand.

Messi’s departure from the club was definitely a huge blow for the Spanish giants considering the stature of the Argentine star and the influence he had on the pitch. But even without their talisman, the Catalan club have not had a bad start as expected. In fact, Barcelona have had a better start to their season after the six matches in terms of points compared to the last two seasons.

Ansu Fati Barcelona 2021-22

In 2019/20, Barcelona had managed to collect 10 points from their first six games, while in last season, they managed to register only eight from the first matches. In the last five seasons, when Messi played for the club, Barcelona had managed to win all their first six matches only in the 2017/18 season. In 2016 and in 2018, Barcelona had 13 points after their first six matches which is just one more than their current campaign. In the last six seasons, this is the second time Barcelona have not suffered a defeat by this stage.

Here, we take a look at how Barcelona have fared after their first six matches in the last six seasons.

Season: 2016/17

No.MatchResultPoints
1Barcelona 6-2 Real BetisW3
2Athletic Bilbao 0-1 BarcelonaW3
3Barcelona 1-2 AlavésL0
4Leganés 1-5 BarcelonaW3
5Barcelona 1-1 Atlético MadridD1
6Sporting Gijón 0–5 BarcelonaW3
 Total point4W, 1L, 1D13

Season: 2017/18

No.MatchResultPoints
1Barcelona 2-0 Real BetisW3
 Alavés 0-2 BarcelonaW3
3Barcelona 5-0 EspanyolW3
4Getafe 1-2 BarcelonaW3
5Barcelona 6-1 EibarW3
6Girona 0-3 BarcelonaW3
 Total point6W, 0L, 0D18

Season: 2018/19

No.MatchResultPoints
1Barcelona 3-0 AlavésW3
2Valladolid 0-1 BarcelonaW3
3Barcelona 8-2 HuescaW3
4Real Sociedad 1–2 BarcelonaW3
5Barcelona 2–2 GironaD1
6Leganés 2–1 BarcelonaL0
 Total point4W, 1L, 1D13

Season: 2019/20

No.MatchResultPoints
1Athletic Bilbao 1-0 BarcelonaL0
2Barcelona 5-2 Real BetisW3
3Osasuna 2-2 BarcelonaD1
4Barcelona 5-2 ValenciaW3
5Granada 2-0 BarcelonaL0
6Barcelona 2-1 VillarrealW3
 Total point3W, 2L, 1D10

Season: 2020/21

No.MatchResultPoints
1Barcelona 4-0 VillarrealW3
2Celta Vigo 0-3 BarcelonaW3
3Barcelona 1-1 SevillaD1
4Getafe 1-0 BarcelonaL0
5Barcelona 1-3 Real MadridL0
6Alavés 1-1 BarcelonaD1
 Total point2W, 2L, 2D8

Season: 2021/22

No.MatchResultPoints
1Barcelona 4-2 Real SociedadW3
2Athletic Bilbao 1-1 BarcelonaD1
3Barcelona 2-1 GetafeW3
4Barcelona 1-1 GranadaD1
5Cádiz 0-0 BarcelonaD1
6Barcelona 3-0 LevanteW3
 Total point3W, 0L, 3D12