Barcelona Fire on All Cylinders with Five Straight Wins, Set to Face Mourinho's Real Madrid in El Clasico

In Wednesday night's Champions League opener, Barcelona crushed Eredivisie side Feyenoord 5-1 at Spotify Camp Nou. The significance of this big win went far beyond three points. It extended Barcelona's five-game winning start across all competitions, with 22 goals scored and only three conceded over the opening 25 matches. And that is not all.

Looking back at the same period last season and comparing the numbers, you can see just how much Barcelona have improved this year. Last season they recorded four wins and one draw in their first five matches, earning 14 points, including only 10 points from their first four La Liga rounds. This season, in the same stage, Barcelona have won all five games and collected all 12 possible points from the first four league rounds, sitting top of the table.

Their scoring ability is even more impressive. In the first five competitive matches last season, Barcelona scored 15 goals, averaging three per game. Now, they have scored 22 goals in five matches, averaging 4.4 per game. That figure represents a frightening attacking output for any European powerhouse. Defensively, they have also improved, reducing goals conceded from four in the same period last season to three, while more than doubling their clean sheets.

Their away performances are especially worth noting. In the first three league away matches last season, they scored seven goals, conceded three, and dropped a point. This season, in two league away matches, they have scored ten goals and kept clean sheets. Many people would find this efficiency hard to believe, but it has genuinely happened.

Of course, amid such a remarkable start, the standout name is Raphinha. The Brazilian forward scored six goals in the first four La Liga rounds, and after his brace against Feyenoord in the Champions League, he has already scored seven goals this season. Behind these numbers lies an interesting story.

This summer, Robert Lewandowski left and Ferran Torres also departed, while Barcelona's initial pursuit of target man Alvarez ultimately failed to reach an agreement. For a time, there was significant discussion that Barcelona's striker position could become a major problem and that their attacking power might collapse. But Raphinha stepped up and silenced those doubts with a run of goals.

Raphinha's breakout is not a sudden development. Flick has given him significant tactical freedom. He is not a traditional number nine, but a versatile attacker who can move from the wing into the penalty area to finish chances. This means Barcelona's attacking system has moved away from relying on a single central striker. Previously, attention focused on Lewandowski's form; now, it is about Raphinha's impact.

This explosive attacking form has also made everyone look forward to a major showdown — on October 25, El Clasico, with Barcelona hosting Real Madrid. On the Madrid side will be Mourinho.

Mourinho's second spell in charge of Real Madrid has produced four wins and one defeat in his first five matches. They defeated Espanyol, Real Sociedad and Malaga, but suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat against Betis, while winning 2-1 against Inter Milan in the Champions League. They have scored 12 goals and conceded four. These are not bad results, but compared with Barcelona, the picture changes.

Real Madrid currently have nine points from the first four La Liga rounds, ranking third and trailing leaders Barcelona by three points. More importantly, Mourinho's team does not appear as smooth in attack as it was last season. Against a Barcelona side with powerful firepower and a rapid tempo, whether his counter-attacking approach can work remains a major question.

Some may say Mourinho excels in big matches and that El Clasico is his stage. That is true, but another fact cannot be ignored: Barcelona are currently at a stage where their attacking system is fully clicking. Raphinha is flying, the team combinations are becoming more effective, and a side capable of scoring ten away goals could bring serious pressure against Real Madrid at home.

Statistically, the gap between the two teams is not enormous, but their momentum feels completely different. Barcelona are playing with confidence and everyone is in form; Real Madrid are changing steadily, with Mourinho still shaping the squad. On October 25, whether Spotify Camp Nou will become the place where Barcelona announce their dominance will soon be revealed.

Putting the result aside, the football quality at the start of this season is genuinely exciting. Both teams have changed managers and both have their own styles: one pursuing extreme attacking pressure, the other following Mourinho's disciplined balance. This type of competition is far more entertaining than the one-sided title scripts of recent years.

So, do not say Spanish football has declined. Look at Barcelona's five-game winning run, their points and goal numbers, and then look at Real Madrid's struggles and adjustments under Mourinho. You will see that the competition on this stage is only beginning to heat up. The El Clasico on October 25 is a match worth everyone's attention.

Barcelona are currently in strong form, and Mourinho is not without solutions. But the most fascinating part of football is its unpredictability. When an attacking powerhouse meets a defensive master, we will find out who has the final laugh on October 25.