The blaugrana have conceded 13 goals in 34 rounds and if they don’t concede goals in the last 4 games they could overcome the Sardinians. In the viewfinder there is also the national record, now of Deportivo 1994 and Atletico 2006 with 18 goals conceded
It is unlikely that Xavi Hernandez, a huge football fan, can know Manlio Scopigno. We will ask you at the first opportunity. And probably the Barcelona coach doesn’t even know that he can take away from the brilliant Scopigno and his historic Cagliari, the 1970 Italian champion, a record that has stood ever since.
Iron defense
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On 12 April 1970, Gigi Riva’s Cagliari won its first and only Scudetto. At the end of that championship he closed with just 11 goals conceded in the 30 days that were played then, 0.36 on average. The year before, Nereo Rocco’s Milan had won third place with 12 goals conceded. The Cagliari defense had Albertosi in goal, Tomasini free with Martiradonna, Niccolai and Zignoli, left-back. Tomasini’s injury prompted Scopigno to withdraw the midfielder Cera, a player with great technique, in the libero position.
One goal at most
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Until last week, Barcelona was ahead of Cagliari: just 11 goals conceded in 33 days, with an average of 0.33. The match that brought the title, the 4-2 against Espanyol, however caused the average number of goals conceded to jump to 0.38. Tonight Barça receives Real Sociedad fighting for a place in the Champions League, then they will have to face Valladolid, Mallorca and Celta. To overcome the average of the champion Cagliari, Barcelona will no longer have to concede goals. If he collects one, Xavi will equal Scopigno at 0.36. Even if to be very precise Cagliari closed at 0.367 and Barcelona would go at 0.368…
Mou’s Chelsea
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Barcelona could also become the least beaten team in La Liga: currently in 20-team leagues the record is 18 goals conceded, from Paco Liaño’s Deportivo in 1994 and Cholo Simeone’s Athletic in 2016. José Mourinho, who won the Premier League in 2005, conceding just 15 goals, two in the last two days. Ter Stegen hasn’t conceded a goal in 23 of the 34 matchdays played so far, and also in terms of “clean sheets” he has in his sights a record set by Mou’s Chelsea: Petr Cech reached 25 points that year. Oblak in Atletico Madrid Madrid in 2016 and Van der Sar in Manchester United in 2009 stopped at 24.
May 20 – 2.15pm
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