Barcelona superstars - Sergi Roberto, Philippe Coutinho, and Luis Suarez
#2 Rafinha Alcantara
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The player replaced Messi in a couple of games
With Lionel Messi out injured, many people expected Ousmane Dembele to get more minutes and impress in the absence of the playmaker, but it was another star, Rafinha Alcantara, who benefited more from this great privilege.
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The Barcelona midfielder who spent last season on loan at Inter Milan was given a rare start by Ernesto Valverde during a UEFA Champions League encounter against the Nerazzurri at the Nou Camp, and his performance couldn't have been better, as he ran riot and scored the opener in a 2-0 defeat of the Italian side.
Following his impressive display in the Champions League game, the versatile player was afforded more opportunities in the absence of Lionel Messi, and he was the one who occupied the Argentine's position on the right wing in Barcelona's last 2 LaLiga games which includes a 5-1 thrashing of Real Madrid in El Clasico.
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About the author
Jidonu Mauyon
Jidonu is a European and international football news writer at Sportskeeda. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and has around 7 years of previous experience working with the likes of Tribuna and SportRaba, Jidonu has a good eye for detail and has the ability to created cohesive articles, and reporting exploits have also led him to exclusively cover the 2018 FIFA World Cup in the past.
Jidonu’s tryst with football started after watching the 2002 FIFA World Cup final between Brazil and Germany, being mesmerized by Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. Barcelona philosophy and approach towards the game under Pep Guardiola further fueled the burgeoning love for the sport, and he has been a Culer ever since.
Unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi is his favorite player and is the one true GOAT for him over Cristiano Ronaldo. The 2022 FIFA World Cup final, where Messi's brace led to La Albiceleste lifting the cup left a lasting impact on him. His love for Messi also sees him follow Major League Soccer apart from Europe’s top five leagues.
In his free time, Jidonu raps and produces music, and also enjoys reading and swimming.
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