FC Barcelona’s LaLiga debut is just around the corner. On Saturday 16 August (7.30pm CEST), they will visit Son Moix, home of Mallorca in the opening matchday of the 2025/26 domestic competition. After a pre-season in which Hansi Flick’s men have won every match, there is plenty of anticipation to see the blaugrana in action. But first, let’s look back at how their most recent league openers have gone.
Comeback in Valencia last year
FC Barcelona began their path towards last season’s league title at Mestalla, always a tricky ground. They took all three points against Valencia, but it was no easy task, as they had to come from behind thanks to eventually win 2-1 thanks to goals from Robert Lewandowski.
Two 0-0 draws
The 2023/24 and 2022/23 seasons did not begin with three points in the bag. Both started in identical fashion, with goalless draws. In 2023/24 it was at the Coliseum, home of Getafe, while in 2022/23 ( a season Barça were also eventually crowned champions) it was at the Spotify Camp Nou against Rayo Vallecano.
Two big wins, one cruel defeat
In both the 2021/22 and 2020/21 seasons, Barça swept aside their opponents — Real Sociedad (4–2) and Villarreal (4–0), respectively — with both matches played at home. By contrast, the 2019/20 season opener brought the only defeat in the past decade, away to Athletic Club at San Mamés with Aduriz scoring the only goal in the dying moments.
10 wins in a row
Before that loss in Bilbao, FC Barcelona had strung together 10 consecutive seasons winning their league openers — from 2018/19 back to 2009/10. The numbers were remarkable: 38 goals scored and only three conceded. The defeat before that run came on 31 August 2008, in Pep Guardiola’s first league match as coach, a shock defeat away to Numancia.