Barça hasn't lost its first league match of the year since 2015

FC Barcelona has gone ten consecutive matchdays of LaLiga without losing their first match of a calendar year. Since their defeat against Real Sociedad at Anoeta on January 4, 2015 (1-0) with an own goal by Jordi Alba, the Catalan team has accumulated 6 wins and 4 draws when opening the year, with 9 matches played away and only 1 at home.

The last time Barça started the year at home in LaLiga was January 7, 2018, in the 3-0 thrashing of Levante. That year, however, the Catalans had already played the first leg of the Copa del Rey round of 16 against Celta (1-1). The same happened in 2017, 2023, and 2025, meaning Barça opened the year playing the Copa, always as visitors. 

After that fall in San Sebastián, at the beginning of 2015, Luis Enrique's team corrected their course to cap off a historic season that included the club's second treble.

6 wins and 4 draws: Barcelona's unbeaten streak in their first league match of the year

The league streak without losing the first match of the year began on January 2, 2016, precisely against the same rival as this Saturday, Espanyol, also in Cornellà (0-0). The record since then is 6 wins and 4 draws, with 14 goals for and only 5 against.

Besides Espanyol (2), Villarreal (1-1 in 2017) and Getafe (1-1 in 2025) were the only ones to manage to salvage 1 point against the blaugrana team. The 'azulones', in fact, broke a streak of four consecutive league wins last year, opening the year for the culés

Barça's last 10 league matches at the start of the year

1. 18/01/2025: Getafe 1-1 FC Barcelona (matchday 20).
2. 04/01/2024: UD Las Palmas 1-2 FC Barcelona (matchday 19).
3. 08/01/2023: Atlético de Madrid 0-1 FC Barcelona (matchday 16).
4. 02/01/2022: RCD Mallorca 0-1 FC Barcelona (matchday 19).
5. 03/01/2021: SD Huesca 0-1 FC Barcelona (matchday 17).
6. 04/01/2020: Espanyol 2-2 FC Barcelona (matchday 19).
7. 06/01/2019: Getafe CF 1-2 FC Barcelona (matchday 18).
8. 07/01/2018: FC Barcelona 3-0 Levante UD (matchday 18).
9. 08/01/2017: Villarreal CF 1-1 FC Barcelona (matchday 17).
10. 02/01/2016: RCD Espanyol 0-0 FC Barcelona (matchday 18).

Barça Drew Twice Against Espanyol in Their Last Year-Opening Visits

Leo Messi during an Espanyol-Barça (2-2) in January 2020

Over the last decade, Barcelona has begun its league year by visiting Espanyol on a couple of occasions, both ending in a draw. On January 2, 2016, the team then managed by Luis Enrique, also on matchday 18, could not break the deadlock in Cornellà (0-0), despite having the legendary 'MSN' (Messi, Suárez, and Neymar) on the field.

That season, 'Lucho's' last at Barça, the league title remained in Real Madrid's trophy cabinet. Later, on January 4, 2020, with Ernesto Valverde still on the bench, the Catalans drew at the RCDE Stadium (2-2). Luis Suárez and Arturo Vidal scored for the Blaugrana, while David López and Lei Wu scored for the 'pericos'.

In that season, interrupted between March and June by the pandemic, Real Madrid also ended up winning LaLiga. The last time Barça started a calendar year with a loss was in 2017, but the defeat occurred in the first leg of the Copa del Rey round of 16Luis Enrique's team fell to Athletic at San Mamés (2-1) with goals from Aritz Aduriz and Iñaki Williams, while Leo Messi scored for the Catalans. In the return leg at Camp Nou, Barça overturned the tie (3-1) and subsequently became champions of the tournament for the third consecutive season.

Barcelona's Latest Matches to Start the Year