Barcelona top La Liga after 12 games, but defensive concerns remain

A strong start in Spain

Barcelona head into the international break at the top of La Liga after a 2-1 win over Atlético Madrid. Hansi Flick's side are three points clear of second-placed Real Madrid after 12 games, with almost a third of the Spanish top-flight season already completed. As defending champions, Barça have started the 2026-27 campaign in strong form and have been scoring goals freely.

The break offers a natural point to take stock of the season so far. On the surface, the team's position looks good both at home and abroad, which is why the start has been widely viewed as encouraging.

Europe and the table

In the Champions League, Barça sit fifth in the league-phase standings after four games. They are three points behind the leaders, PSG and Real Madrid. The European campaign is still at an early stage, with the table far from settled.

Concerns at the back

Despite the positives, there are still lingering concerns at Camp Nou. Defeats to PSG and Real Madrid have highlighted continued problems at the back, and the defensive issues are the main reason for the debate about the squad.

There has also been renewed talk that the club could try to bring in another player during the January transfer window. Any move would be aimed at addressing the defensive questions that the recent results have exposed.

What comes next

With the season roughly a third complete, the big question is whether Barcelona can keep their domestic momentum while tightening up defensively. Supporters are being asked to rate the campaign out of 10 and to say what needs to improve, and the answers will reflect how much weight they give to the attacking form compared with the concerns at the back.