FC Barcelona unbeaten in December at Camp Nou since 2007

FC Barcelona unbeaten in December at Camp Nou since 2007

The last decade has seen the Catalans win eleven league games and draw just one in the final month of the calendar year

FC Barcelona and December have made for a perfect combination in recent seasons at the Camp Nou. Since losing 1-0 to Real Madrid on 23 December 2007, the team has never lost a home fixture in the final month of the year.

The run began in the first game of December 2008, a crushing 4-0 defeat of Valencia, and since then we have enjoyed 11 wins and just one draw. Is it purely coincidence, or is there something about this period that brings the team to its peak? Perhaps because such ‘distractions’ Champions League group stage and international breaks are finally over, perhaps because new signings need time to adjust to the unique way that Barça plays, or any number of other factors, but the statistics speak for themselves.

Only Deportivo la Coruña have managed to leave the Camp Nou with a point in December fixtures. It doesn’t matter who has been in charge – it’s been a success story under four different managers, and neither dos the quality of the opposition a factor. There have been some huge December games, including a 2-0 defeat of Real Madrid in 2008/09.

The goals have flowed as well, no fewer than 44 for Barça (3-6 a game) compared to just four conceded. Leo Messi has scored a bumper 15 of those, including a hat-trick against Espanyol and four braces against Real Sociedad, Athletic Bilbao, Atlético Madrid and Cordoba. So let’s hope December 2016 brings plenty more of the same, starting in El Clásico on Saturday!.

DATE COACH MATCH GOALSCORERS
06-12-08 Guardiola FCB 4-0 Valencia Henry -3-, Dani Alves
13-12-08 Guardiola FCB 2-0 R.Madrid Eto'o, Messi
12-12-09 Guardiola FCB 1-0 Espanyol Ibrahimovic
12-12-10 Guardiola FCB 5-0 R.Sociedad Messi -2-, Iniesta, Villa, Bojan
03-12-11 Guardiola FCB 5-0 Levante Cesc -2-, Cuenca, Messi, Alexis
01-12-12 Tito Vilanova FCB 5-1 Athletic  Messi -2-, Piqué, Adriano, Cesc
16-12-12 Tito Vilanova FCB 4-1 Atlético Messi -2-, Adriano, Busquets
14-12-13 Tata Martino FCB 2-1 Villarreal Neymar Jr -2-
07-12-14 Luis Enrique FCB 5-1 Espanyol Messi -3-, Pedro, Piqué
20-12-14 Luis Enrique FCB 5-0 Cordoba Messi -2-, Suárez, Pedro, Piqué
12-12-15 Luis Enrique FCB 2-2 Deportivo Messi, Rakitic
30-12-15 Luis Enrique FCB 4-0 Betis Suárez -2-, Messi, Westermann (o.g)

 

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