5 observations from matchday 3 of the Champions League group stages

#4 Arthur is a real gem in midfield for Barcelona

Arthur has been impressive for Barcelona

Once possessing arguably the greatest midfield in the history of football, as the trident of Xavi, Iniesta and Sergio Busquets held it down in midfield for club and country, Barcelona has fallen from those previous highs and in the process lost their identity.

Xavi and Iniesta are no more, while Sergio Busquets for all of his effervescence is no longer the player he once was. Barcelona have long searched for replacements for their two midfield maestros, especially Xavi, as since the World Cup winner left the club, Barca has struggled to control matches in the way that they did with him.

In March 2018, a certain unknown Brazilian named Arthur Melo was signed from Gremio for €31m, as the 22-year-old had established himself in the Gremio side that triumphed in the 2017 Copa Libertadores, and it said a lot of his abilities that a club the size of Barca were willing to expend such a huge outlay on a player who was yet to earn a senior cap for Brazil at that time.

After spending the early part of his Barcelona career on the bench, struggles during a rough patch of form forced Ernesto Valverde’s hand into making radical changes, and Arthur was the player he turned to, sending him from the start in the Champions League clash with Tottenham.

He earned rave reviews for his performance that night, with the result being that he has not looked back since then, starting all matches played for Barcelona since that night at Wembley.

He is described as a mould of Iniesta and Xavi, possessing the technique and finesse of the former while his distribution abilities haven’t been seen at Nou Camp since Xavi himself graced the stage.

Arthur set some passing records which Xavi himself would have been proud of. Against Valencia, Arthur attempted 142 passes, completing 135 of them, which is more than anyone else has managed this season. The last time anybody has attempted that many passes was when Xavi himself attempted 148 in a match against Levante.

At the Camp Nou in the Champions League against Inter, Arthur continued with his impressive performance, an epitome of calm in midfield, with the highlight of his night being when he showed composure to hold onto to the ball and give a Xaviesque turn before releasing a teammate.

Arthur was replaced in the dying moments of the game to a standing rapturous ovation by the Barcelona faithful, and if he continues with his upward trajectory, then the club might have finally found its long searched for the replacement to Xavi in midfield.