Barça did it again in Málaga. Now, we're not just talking about yet another game unbeaten — which is Barça's 35th in a row — we're talking about another clean sheet. Barça now has 17 shutouts on the season in La Liga, with Atlético Madrid the only other La Liga team to have done the same. In the rest of Europe, only Juventus can stake that same claim.
Of course, goalkeper Marc-André ter Stegen can shoulder much of the recognition for the eye-popping numbers, but he hasn't done it alone. Up and down the lineup, Barça has shined, be it on attack, defense, or the midfield. Opposing teams don't have the ball much, and when they do, Barça's back line has been nearly impenetrable. But ter Stegen has turned in some stellar performances this season, such as against Athletic Club, Villarreal, Atlético, and Real Madrid.
Barça has done just as well in other competitions too. In the Champions League, only Liverpool has the same number of clean sheets, five, as Barça. In the Copa del Rey — where Jasper Cillessen has been the go-to man in goal — Barça has six shutouts in its eight games, with only the final yet to be played.
