According to statistics from Mundo Deportivo, in the last five La Liga seasons since 2021-22, Real Madrid has been awarded 26 more penalties than Barcelona. Real Madrid has 56, while Barcelona has 30.
The report states that this difference in penalty statistics is not commensurate with the attacking prowess of the two teams during the same period: So far in the 2021-22 season, Barcelona has scored 382 goals, while Real Madrid has 373. Real Madrid has a clear advantage in penalty kicks, having scored 56 times, compared to Barcelona's 30.
Looking at a single season, after 24 rounds of the league this season, Real Madrid has earned a record high of 14 penalties. Before this round's away game against Girona, Barcelona had played 23 rounds and had only earned 6 penalties, less than half of Real Madrid's number. However, Barcelona's goal-scoring ability is superior; with one game in hand, they have scored 10 more goals than Real Madrid, 63 to 53.
The penalty statistics for the two title rivals in each season are as follows: In the 2021-22 season, Real Madrid ranked second in the league with 12 penalties, while Barcelona ranked eighth with 7. Real Madrid won the title that season.
In the 2022-23 season, Real Madrid led the league with 12 penalties, while Barcelona finished second-to-last with only 2. Barcelona won the title that season.
The 2023-24 season was the only one in the last five years where Barcelona had more penalties than Real Madrid. Barcelona had 7 penalties, while Real Madrid had 5. Barcelona ranked sixth in penalties, and Real Madrid tenth. Real Madrid won the title that season.
In the 2024-25 season, Real Madrid again led with 14 penalties, while Barcelona ranked fifth with 8. Flick's Barcelona scored 24 more goals than Real Madrid that season (102 goals to 78), and Barcelona ultimately won the title.