See the Actions of These Barcelona Players

FC Barcelona don’t show any degradation this season after winning the LaLiga and Copa del Rey last season.

In 2018-2019 LaLiga, Barca swept out the four initial matches with victory and gained 12 points, just 2 points ahead of Real Madrid as the runner-up of the standing. While in the Champions League, Barca started the Group B qualification with a promising 4-0 victory against PSV Eindhoven at Camp Nou recently.

Barca this season, along with the presence of new players like Clement Lenglet, Arturo Vidal, Arthur Melo, and Malcom, are believed to be the favorite to win all the trophies this season. Moreover, Ernesto Valverde has entered his second season in coaching Barca, the players understand Valverde’s football philosophy.

Barca’s journey this season will be very competitive for the supporters and Spanish football lovers. Six players in the current squad will be crucial for the team in following the target set by the directors. Who are they?

1. Lionel Messi

Certainly, this name will have his own prominent role in Barca’s journey each season. In his 31, La Pulga’s performance is getting more mature in contributing. Whether it’s for the goal, assist, or penetrate the opponent’s defense.

Lionel Messi has gone far with four goals from 4 LaLiga matches and hattrick in the Champions League against PSV. The smooth beginning could bring him more than the previous season’s record when he scored 34 goals and 12 assists from 36 LaLiga matches.

Another factor is his huge disappointment in the 2018 World Cup with Argentina national team, could be the strong motivation for Messi this time. Playing out loud with Barca could be the wound-healer of his bad memory in the World Cup when Argentina failed to qualify the round of 16.

2. Luis Suarez

Without Neymar, the collaboration of Messi and Luis Suarez will still become cohesive in the 4-4-2 scheme of Valverde. Messi with his natural talent in dribbling the ball, while Suarez with his flexibility and accuracy in scoring the goal.

Last season, Suarez scored 25 goals from 33 LaLiga matches, and this season he has scored three goals from four matches. His accuracy will progress because El Pistolero seldom misses the chance in the opponent’s penalty area.

It’s reasonable the 31-year-old striker labeled as one of Europe’s best striker. Not only sharp in scoring goal, Suarez’s aggressivity often made the opponent to make a foul or provoked by him.

The opponents are also facing difficulty in guarding him because Suarez isn’t the type of striker who will stay in the penalty box area. He is the modern striker who often picks up the ball and involved in Barca’s attack. If Messi-Suarez duet have gone crazy together, the opponent’s defense can only pray in anticipating them.

3. Arturo Vidal

Hasn’t gain the trust by Valverde as the regular team due to his adaptation process. However, once he has found his playing rhythm in the team, Vidal will be the prominent asset for Barca’s success this season.

His fighting style will motivate the teammates. Vidal is not only reliable in guarding the defense but also appears in the penalty area of the opponent for scoring the goal. Last season, he scored 6 goals from 22 Bundesliga matches with Bayern Munchen.

His playing typical is similar to Paulinho. Thus, Barca have gained their ideal substitute player, plus Vidal is also more experienced due to his status as Chile national team and achieved the title with Juventus and Bayern.

4. Ivan Rakitic

Entering the fifth season with Barcelona, Ivan Rakitic, 30, the talented player in all positions both for 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 scheme. The Croatian midfielder always becomes Valverde’s ammunition to keep the strength in the central field.

Rakitic could be the solution in scoring the goal from the second line and also helping to guard the defense. His collaboration with Sergio Busquets and Vidal could enhance the strength in Barca’s second line. Rakitic’s performance is simple but deadly and dangerous, often hard to be anticipated.

5. Ousmane Dembele

This season could be the revival moment for the 21-year-old wing striker, Ousmane Dembele in Barcelona. His good performance ensures Valverde to play with the 4-3-3 scheme and collaborates him with Messi and Suarez in the front line of the team.

Dembele has scored three goals from four LaLiga matches. In a total of all competitions, the former Borussia Dortmund player has scored five goals from six matches.

His experience in winning the 2018 World Cup with France national team made his performance and mindset become more mature in guarding the ball. This is what Valverde and fans expect from Dembele.