Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has made headway since joining FC Barcelona, scoring five goals in his first six league games after completing a move to the Camp Nou. Aubameyang, 32, is the fastest player to score five goals for Barça since Zlatan Ibrahimović did so in five games in the 2009/10 season.
⚽️👑 @Auba is making a name for himself!
— LaLiga English (@LaLigaEN) March 13, 2022
With 5 goals, he is @FCBarcelona‘s joint-second top scorer in #LaLigaSantander! 🔵🔴 pic.twitter.com/7te3EIxQFX
Aubameyang has scored six goals in nine appearances across La Liga and the UEFA Europa League since the Gabonese forward signed for Barça on a free transfer at the end of January, exactly four years after joining Arsenal in a £55m deal from Borussia Dortmund. Memphis Depay is the only player with more goals (10) for La Blaugrana in 2021/22, albeit the Dutchman has made three times as many appearances as Auba has. Aubameyang is averaging a goal every 94 minutes for Barcelona while Memphis has scored once every 205 minutes, on average.
At the opposite end of the spectrum to Barça’s new striker, Los Cules’ veteran defender Gerard Piqué made his 600th appearance for the club in their recent 4-0 win over Osasuna. Piqué has celebrated eight La Liga and three Champions League title wins during his time at the Camp Nou.
Barcelona have made terrific progress during manager Xavi’s first four months in charge, losing just once in 17 league games since their former captain returned to the club. When Ronald Koeman was dismissed at the end of October, Barça were down in 9th spot in La Liga with 15 points, having taken four wins and three losses from their opening 10 games.
Since then, however, they have risen up the standings significantly under the tutelage of Xavi. Barcelona have taken 36 points from a possible 51, with ten victories and six draws in 17 league games. Barça have accrued 2.1 points per game during Xavi’s tenure, compared to 1.5 points per game under his predecessor. Barcelona have won seven out of nine matches in La Liga this year, including a stunning 4-2 triumph over Atlético Madrid in February. Barça have also scored 23 times in nine league outings in 2022, seven more goals than Real Madrid have scored.
The next instalment of El Clásico takes place on Sunday, 20 March as Barcelona and Real Madrid prepare to lock horns for a titanic battle. Barcelona will undeniably be desperate to get one over their arch rivals, especially when considering Real Madrid have won all of the last four meetings between the two sides in La Liga. Barça’s visit to the Santiago Bernabeu is set to be the sixth El Clásico since the Catalan club last claimed victory over Real in March 2019. Los Blancos won home and away versus La Blaugrana last season and Carlo Ancelotti will certainly be aiming for his troops to repeat this feat at the weekend.
