Top 6 teams with the best defensive records this season so far
The footballing season in Europe has just got off to a flying start with a lot of wonderful goals being scored already, but a fact that is often neglected is the influence the people at the other end of the pitch have on the game. Sometimes a clean sheet is just a valuable as, if not more than, scoring a goal. We take a look at the best defensive records in domestic football across Europe in the 2015/16 season so far.
#6 Barcelona: 4 games played - 2 goals conceded
Barcelona have got off to a flying start to the season winning all four games played. The defending La Liga champions have picked up where they left off last season by conceding just two goals and scoring eight in their first four appearances. This despite having played in the absence of their star defender Gerard Pique following a controversial ban for the first four games of the season after abusing the linesman in the second leg of the Spanish Cup final.
The stars at the back for the Blaugrana this season have been Marc Bartra, Javier Mascherano and Thomas Vermaelen. Unfortunately for Barcelona, Vermaelen was dealt yet another injury blow, as he limped out of the 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid. But this shouldn’t really be much of a problem for the treble winners, as the return of Gerard Pique after the game against Levante will certainly bolster the squad’s defensive line.
The partnership between Pique and Mascherano has been one of the pillars behind Barca’s success in recent years, and they are both among the world’s best centre-backs. Mascherano’s warrior-like approach to the game and Pique’s confidence on the ball and ability to play out from the back ensure that Barca’s solid back line smoothly transitions into attack.