Barcelona have more than one way to hurt their opponents. Hansi Flick’s side does not punish teams solely through intricate combination play, the blistering pace of its wingers, or late runs from midfield. The Blaugrana have also turned long-range shooting into a highly valuable attacking weapon. Barcelona have already scored eight goals from outside the box this season, and one player stands head and shoulders above the rest: Lamine Yamal.

Long-range Lamine

The No. 10 has scored four of those eight goals, exactly half of the team’s total. Three have come in LaLiga matches and another in the Champions League. The statistic underlines just how important long-range shooting has become since Flick took charge. It is a weapon Barcelona had largely lacked since Lionel Messi’s departure. Aside from Lamine Yamal, the other players to score from outside the area this season are Karim Adeyemi, Anthony Gordon, Dani Olmo and João Cancelo.

The numbers are encouraging for Barça. When opponents sit deep, close down spaces, and make it difficult to play through the middle, Flick’s team has players capable of unlocking games with an individual moment of brilliance from distance. Few possess that ability to the same extent as Lamine.

How Barça’s 2026-27 numbers compare

Last season, Barcelona finished with 15 goals from outside the box in league play, one fewer than the 16 it recorded in 2024-25. The team scored 10 long-range goals in 2023-24, just five in 2022-23, and eight in 2021-22, by which point Messi had already left the club. In 2020-21, the total was once again impressive, with Barcelona scoring 17 goals from outside the area, 10 of them coming from the Argentine maestro.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that of this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.