PES 2015: Best Barcelona playing XI

Continuing in the same vein that they were known for under Guardiola, Barcelona are among the top contenders for the La Liga silverware this season and lie just a point behind their rivals, Real Madrid F.C. In their last 5 matches, Barcelona have amassed an incredible goal tally of 21 goals while conceding only 3. With their star player and enganche (playmaker), Lionel Messi, breaking every record that comes in his way, the Catalans have been absolutely prolific this season.And they continue to be so in PES 2015 as well – if managed accordingly. Therefore, let’s take a look at some of the best Barcelona players in the game who have to be there in the team to achieve a definite result.

#1 Claudio Bravo (GK)

Playing for the Chilean national team, Claudio Bravo had an impressive World Cup campaign which wasn’t overlooked by The Catalans who let go of Victor Valdes in the transfer window and brought in the Chilean as an appropriate replacement for him.

A former Real Sociedad player, he holds the La Liga record for not conceding a goal in 754 minutes since the beginning of the season – a record which he made in 2014. In PES 2015, he has a decent GK rating of 81 while in FIFA 15, he has a higher rating of 83,still unbecoming of the individual ratings of other Barca players.

#2 Dani Alves (RB)

The 31 year old is slowly reaching the darker shades of his career..but the journey is long and he still continues to rampage through the opposition’s wings with some great agility and menacing strength. Last season, the imminet impact of Alves on the pitch was for everyone to see as rival fans began to get infuriated by his dominant presence on the pitch and resorted to racist comments.

Although, this season he has been silent in his achievements as he has played 12 matches, with 2 assists to his name. In PES 2015 and FIFA 15, he has a player rating of 83, the second-most lowest rating in the side.

#3 Gerard Pique (CB)

The former Manchester Utd. player has been impressing everyone since his transfer to Barcelona from Manchester United, with his aerial dominance and his through passes from deep. Also, his partnership with the ageing Puyol and, subsequently, Mascherano, has been amazing in recent years.

Probably being a La Masia graduate has just alleviated Pique's style of play and has given him the temperament to start a mammoth total of 38 matches last season, in which he scored 4 goals due to his amazing height and, consequently, his heading capabilities during set pieces. His rating in PES 2015 is 86 while in FIFA, he has a slightly lower rating of 84.

#4 Thomas Vermaelen (CB)

Currently on the long-term injury list for Barca, Vermaelen’s replacement is being searched by the Catalans presently as its a massive loss of calibre of the Belgian, some of which he demonstrated quite perfectly in his Arsenal days. Being one of those Gunners captains who were picked up by other clubs, Vermaelen offers Barca an additional option of leadership in the dressing room and on the pitch – a void that has been left by their long serving captain Carles Puyol.

His skills lie in his aerial capability and a decisive quickness with the ball at his feet, but still he hasn’t played a single minute at his new club due to an injury-prone season so far. His rating in PES 2015 is an average 83 while FIFA takes into consideration his non-playing time the club and gives him a rating of 79.

#5 Jordi Alba (LB)

Dani Alves on the right and Jordi Alba on the left. What more could a manager want to exlpoit the flanks of the other team. An Ashley Cole-esque type player, Jordi Alba has a knack of hugging the touchline and, sometimes, even making runs through channels. While doing this, he has an amazing capability of tracking back and making some crucial tackles to thwart the opposition’s attacks.

This is known from his 2012/2013 stint at Barca, where, in the absence of Eric Abidal, he stepped up to the mark and played for a massive time of 2499 minutes – a truly hard working individual. He carried on in this vein in the following years making him the first choice for this position both locally and nationally. Although, his rating of 83 in PES 2015 doesn’t show his true potential.

#6 Sergio Busquets (DM)

Reaching the national level only after an year in which he made his professional debut at Barcelona, Busquets has been a rock in the midfield in recent times. Such is the influence of Busquets amongst the Barca ranks that the retiring captain Puyol requested the club to give his shirt number to the midfield dynamo.

He has already racked up a man of the match winning performance in just 15 matches that he has played for Barca this season. A remarkable feat for a defensive midfielder. Therefore his rating in FIFA 15 is 85 but a lower rating of 83 in PES is slightly questionable due to the collective work that this player puts up on the pitch.

#7 Andres Iniesta (CM)

This diminuitive Spanish playmaker has been prolific, to say the least, for both country and club. Another graduate from the club’s youth ranks, La Masia, Iniesta was signed for the Catalans only to give another player, Jorge Troitero, company in the club. While Troitero was thrown out for indiscipline, Iniesta went on to fulfil his potential and score the winning goal for Spain in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final.

That pretty much defines the legacy of this skillful player, whose balance, agility and ball control can give the manager an option to play him either on the left wing or in his much preferred central midfield position. In PES 2015 and FIFA 15, he has a justifiably high rating of 89.

#8 Ivan Rakitic (CM)

Arriving from Sevilla in the summer transfer window as a replacement for the charismatic Xavi, Ivan Rakitic hasn’t wasted any time in settling down at his new club as the Croatian continues to hold up his reputation that made the Catalans take interest in him.

Having played 25 games and scoring four goals with four assists to his name, Rakitic hasn’t exactly replicated Xavi yet in the team but his hard work, and short passing skills make him a player to look out for on the pitch. Playing in the hole between the midfielders and the attackers, Rakitic has a decent rating of 84 in the game.

#9 Neymar (LW)

“He’s got a talent that one cannot measure and a great capacity to score goals – a talent that is enchanting the world” – this is what Brazilian legend, Ronaldo, had to say about another upcoming legend, Neymar. The 22 year old Brazilian forward was on outstanding form for Brazil in the World Cup before being injured in the quarterfinals.

But it didnt deter him from not performing at the club level as he has amassed 16 goals in 19 appearances this season, providing 2 assists. The sheer quality of the man provides him with the third-highest PES 2015 rating of 88 in the team.

#10 Luis Suarez (RW)

You can call him a rat for his uncanny biting habit. You can deem him to be racist with his comments towards Patrice Evra. But a fact that you can’t avoid is his influence on the pitch and his prolificacy in front of goal. Scoring at a magnanimous rate for Liverpool last season, with 31 goals in 33 matches, he was awarded the PFA Player of The Year Award and, after the disastrous biting incident involving Georgio Chiellini, was handed a ban by the Football Association.

Thus, Barcelona came into the fray and Suarez jumped at the oppurtunity to continue first-team football and has had a slow start to his campaign for the Catalans by his standards, with 3 goals in 11 appearances. But his overall quality has impressed both FIFA and PES developers, as the latter gives him a rating above the much publicized Neymar – a rating of 89.

#11 Lionel Messi (CF)

Having an honest beginning from his hometown, Rosario, in Argentina, Messi has come a long way in becoming one of the most prized properties in football. With his stupendous ball control and a mean left boot, the enganche (playmaker) of Barcelona has broken every record that has come his way in recent times and is not looking to halt his pace anytime soon.

His prowess this season, especially, has been unbelievable with a staggering goal tally of 23 goals in 22 games. In fact, his former team-mate, Cesc Fabregas, has gone on a limb to say that Lionel Messi saved them a lot last season when things looked bad. That says it all doesn’t it! Therefore, PES has decided to honour The Little Magician for his skillful contributions by giving him a rating of 95.