Barcelona equal club record with eight wins at the start of La Liga: Galatasaray in Istanbul await after Getafe
Barcelona defeated Getafe 3-0 at Spotify Camp Nou on 10 October 2026, maintaining their perfect record in the Spanish league. Hansi Flick's team have won all eight of their La Liga matches, equalling the best start to a league season in the club's history. Barcelona previously achieved such a run in the 2013/14 season under Argentine coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino. Anthony Gordon, Gabriel Jesus and Jules Koundé scored against Getafe, with the convincing victory coming despite the absence of injured Raphinha, one of the Catalan side's most important attacking players. Barcelona travel to Istanbul to face Galatasaray on 13 October in the second matchday of the UEFA Champions League league phase, meaning that their historic domestic winning streak will now be followed by a challenge in a different competition and a demanding away environment.
Gordon opened the scoring in the second minute, Gabriel Jesus doubled the lead
According to Barcelona's official match report, the hosts imposed high pressure from the start and took the lead very early. Anthony Gordon broke through the defence near the edge of the penalty area and fired a shot in the second minute that found the net after deflecting off Mario Martín. It was Gordon's first goal in a Barcelona shirt since the England international arrived from Newcastle during the summer. The early goal established the rhythm of the match: Getafe struggled to escape the pressure, while Barcelona created further opportunities through Dani Olmo, Gavi and Eric García. Visiting goalkeeper David Soria prevented the lead from increasing on several occasions, but he could not stop the repeated attacks on his goal.
The second goal arrived in the 30th minute and further highlighted the importance of aggressive play without the ball. Gabriel Jesus, making his first start for Barcelona, capitalised on a mistake in Getafe's defence, won possession and finished the move with a precise shot. The Brazilian striker thereby confirmed his promising performances in his early appearances for his new team, while Barcelona established a two-goal advantage before half-time. Getafe's problems were compounded by their inability to retain possession for extended periods or move play into the opposition half. The hosts' pressure not only produced chances through constructed attacking moves but also directly forced errors from opposing players attempting to play the ball out from the back.
Koundé sealed the victory, Yamal created the third goal
Getafe showed greater attacking intent after the break, but Barcelona soon regained control. The club's report states that the home side enjoyed almost 85 per cent possession in the second half, while Soria continued to be called into action against attempts from Barcelona's players. Gabriel Jesus came close to scoring again following a cross from Gerard Martín, Dani Olmo also threatened, and Lamine Yamal caused problems for the opposing defence with his runs and movement between the lines. The third goal arrived in the 73rd minute when Yamal delivered the ball and Jules Koundé finished the move to make it 3-0. Barcelona thus removed any remaining uncertainty and collected another three points without conceding.
There were 59,465 spectators in the stands at Camp Nou, according to figures published on the official match page. Beyond the victory itself, the match featured two personal milestones for defensive players. Gerard Martín made his 100th appearance for Barcelona's first team, while Koundé reached 194 appearances and, according to club records, overtook Éric Abidal in the number of matches played by French footballers for Barcelona. Koundé also marked the achievement with a goal, giving him a special place in the story of the eighth consecutive league victory. The hosts could have extended their lead in the closing stages, but there were no further goals.
Eight matches, 24 points and 34 goals scored
Barcelona sit top of La Liga after eight rounds with 24 points from a possible 24. According to the official league table published on the club's website, they have scored 34 goals and conceded seven in eight matches, giving them a goal difference of plus 27. That represents an average of 4.25 goals scored per league match, with every fixture ending in victory. Atlético Madrid are second after eight rounds with 19 points, leaving the Catalan club five points clear. These statistics confirm that the run has not been built solely on narrow victories but also on exceptionally effective attacking football.
The results from previous rounds further demonstrate the breadth of Barcelona's performances. In August, they defeated Athletic Club 2-0, Elche 5-0 and Rayo Vallecano 5-2, while September brought victories over Valencia 5-0, Levante 4-2, Racing de Santander 7-2 and Sevilla 3-1. In October, they added a 3-0 victory over Getafe to that sequence. They kept clean sheets in four of their eight matches and conceded a total of seven goals in the remaining fixtures. The range of results demonstrates Barcelona's ability to collect points against opponents with different playing styles, although upcoming encounters with stronger teams will also be important in assessing their long-term consistency.
The record from the 2013/14 season and the opportunity for a ninth victory
The run of eight league victories has a clear historical precedent. Barcelona achieved the same start to the 2013/14 season under Gerardo Martino, who had joined the club following an earlier period of success for the team featuring Lionel Messi and other key players of that era. According to La Liga's historical records, that team's winning streak was ended by Osasuna on 19 October 2013, when they held Barcelona to a 0-0 draw in the ninth round. It was the first time Barcelona had dropped points that season. That is precisely why the current achievement represents more than the statistics of a single successful weekend: it equals a club benchmark that had remained untouched for thirteen years.
Barcelona will need another victory in the ninth round of the current championship to establish a new outright club record. According to the club's latest schedule, their next league match is an away fixture against Real Betis in Seville on 17 October. The match against Galatasaray three days earlier will not affect the number of consecutive La Liga victories because it belongs to a European competition. It is also important to distinguish the club record from the all-time record for the Spanish league: in its review of the 2013/14 season, UEFA noted that Real Madrid had opened the 1968/69 season with nine consecutive victories. A ninth win would therefore take Barcelona beyond their own opening streak, but would only equal that historic league achievement.
Raphinha's absence and the importance of squad depth
The result against Getafe is particularly significant in the context of the team's injury situation. Raphinha, identified by Barcelona in their official preview as the team's leading scorer, missed the match because of a thigh muscle problem. Flick explained on 9 October that the injury was not serious, but stressed the need for caution because of the Brazilian player's previous fitness problems. The coach explicitly confirmed at the time that Raphinha would play neither against Getafe nor against Galatasaray. According to the same club statement, Frenkie de Jong was also not yet ready to return ahead of the Getafe match, further emphasising the importance of the available alternatives.
Under these circumstances, Gabriel Jesus's performance stood out in particular, as his first start brought a goal and a major contribution to the pressure on the opposition defence. Before the match, Flick stressed that the striker had adapted well to the team's playing style over the preceding weeks and praised his work in training. Gordon's first goal for the club is another indication that attacking solutions do not depend on a single player. This does not mean Raphinha's absence is insignificant, especially ahead of European away matches, but it shows that the team is currently finding ways to maintain its results. Such depth will be particularly necessary against Galatasaray, where Barcelona will face a different tempo and considerably stronger pressure from the home side.
Ahead of the Getafe match, the club also organised several events outside the competitive programme itself. Former striker Pedro Rodríguez, having ended his professional career, performed the ceremonial opening kick and received the crowd's applause. Raphinha was presented with the award for La Liga's best player in September, while João Cancelo received the prize for the best goal of the same month. Those moments formed part of the evening at Camp Nou, but the sporting significance remained centred on the victory, the record and preparations for a demanding continuation of the schedule. Flick's team must now translate the confidence gained from their domestic success into a performance on the international stage.
Galatasaray in Istanbul: European test on 13 October
Barcelona's next match is scheduled for Tuesday, 13 October 2026, against Galatasaray at RAMS Park in Istanbul. Barcelona's official schedule lists kick-off at 21:00 Central European Summer Time, corresponding to 22:00 local time in Turkey. It is the second matchday of the Champions League league phase, and Barcelona enter the encounter following a 5-1 victory over Feyenoord in their opening match on 9 September. According to UEFA's figures, Galatasaray began their European campaign with a 3-1 defeat away to Portugal's Sporting. The difference between the opening results suggests contrasting starting positions, but does not predetermine the outcome of the match in Istanbul.
Galatasaray took an early lead against Sporting through an own goal by Gonçalo Inácio, but the Portuguese side recovered and eventually overturned the score. UEFA reports that Geny Catamo, Luis Suárez from the penalty spot and Rodrigo Zalazar from a free kick scored for the hosts in that match. Following that opening result, the Istanbul club are seeking their first points in the European competition, and home advantage is a factor Barcelona cannot ignore. Flick, according to comments reported ahead of the match, warned about the stadium's intense atmosphere and the quality of the home team. He singled out Victor Osimhen as a major attacking threat and insisted that his team must produce their best performance.
Barcelona's ability to retain possession and press immediately after losing the ball was important against Getafe, but a European away fixture may produce a different balance on the pitch. Galatasaray will be motivated to make up for their opening defeat, while Barcelona are seeking to maintain their perfect record in a second competition. The question is not merely whether the Catalan club can score several goals again, but also whether they can control their opponents' attacking transitions and maintain concentration throughout the match. Raphinha's confirmed absence reduces the options on the wings, but Gordon, Yamal and Gabriel Jesus showed against Getafe that there are several ways to create chances. Final decisions on the starting line-up will depend on the coach's assessment and the players' condition ahead of kick-off.
Barcelona's last European encounter in Istanbul ended in a comeback victory
The two clubs also have relatively recent experience of facing each other in European competition. In the round of 16 of the 2021/22 Europa League, Barcelona and Galatasaray initially played out a goalless draw in Spain, before the return leg took place in Istanbul on 17 March 2022. According to the official reports from both clubs, Galatasaray took the lead through Marcão in the 28th minute, but Pedri equalised in the 37th and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made it 2-1 in the 49th minute. Barcelona advanced to the Europa League quarter-finals with that victory. The match reveals little about the current balance of power because the squads have changed in the meantime, but it serves as a reminder that even success in Istanbul has previously required a comeback and difficult moments.
The 2026/27 Champions League features a league phase running until January 2027, meaning that every point earned can influence a team's position in the overall standings and its subsequent route towards the knockout stage. Barcelona face another major European away match after Istanbul: they will play Paris Saint-Germain in Paris on 20 October. Between those two fixtures comes the league encounter with Betis on 17 October, while a match against Real Madrid at Camp Nou is also scheduled for 25 October. The congested fixture list brings the distribution of playing minutes, player recovery and maintaining performance levels across different competitions into sharp focus. Eight La Liga victories have already secured Barcelona a place alongside their club record, but the coming days will reveal how much that sequence can help the team against opponents presenting different challenges.
Sources:
- FC Barcelona – official report on the victory over Getafe, goalscorers and player milestones (link)
- FC Barcelona – official La Liga standings, points and goal difference (link)
- FC Barcelona – Hansi Flick's comments on Raphinha's injury and player availability (link)
- FC Barcelona – fixture schedule against Galatasaray, Betis, PSG and Real Madrid (link)
- UEFA – fixtures and results of the 2026/27 Champions League league phase (link)
- UEFA – report on the first Champions League matchday and the Sporting – Galatasaray match (link)
- La Liga – report on Osasuna's draw with Barcelona on 19 October 2013 (link)
- UEFA – historical review of the start of the 2013/14 season and Real Madrid's record (link)
- FC Barcelona – official report on the Galatasaray – Barcelona match in 2022 (link)
- Barca Blaugranes – Hansi Flick's comments ahead of the away match against Galatasaray (link)