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Lionel Messi's departure from Barcelona leaves a massive hole in the side. While the club's talisman cannot be replaced per se, the Catalans now have to find ways to cope without their greatest ever player running the show.
It seems like an impossible task, and why not? The Argentine star was, after all, the heart and soul of the Spanish giants for more than a decade. In more recent times, he even literally carried the burden of the entire squad on his broad shoulders, dragging them through every thick and thin.
But after Lionel Messi's exit, the onus is now on the rest of the bunch to step up, especially considering Barcelona have been subpar for two consecutive seasons.
The pressure is naturally high, with fans demanding improved results for the 2021-22 season. With that in mind, let's look at the five most important players the Catalans will be banking on for results in the upcoming campaign:
#5 Sergio Busquets
If you were to draw out a list of the most underrated midfielders in the world out there, Sergio Busquets would definitely rank somewhere near the top.
Despite everything he's accomplished in the last 12 years, the Spaniard gets little recognition. His performances are often eclipsed by those of more glamorous stars around him.
Busquets often does all the dirty work in the center of the park - winning back possession, distributing the ball around, defending against counter-attacks, and controlling his side's tempo.
Without Messi to run the show now, his midfield nous will be more critical than ever and he showed at Euro 2020 that he's still got it at 33 years of age.
#4 Sergio Aguero
There are questions over whether Sergio Aguero will start as Barcelona's chief striker this season. But he's certainly not joined Blaugrana to warm the bench.
The Argentine is a proven scorer, having starred for Manchester City for a decade and breaking numerous records along the way, especially in the Premier League.
Considering he missed almost the entirety of last season with injury, it might take him some time to find his best form again. But there's no denying his potential. Even at 33, Aguero remains one of the deadliest forwards on the planet, and you can expect him to bag a few goals on his return to La Liga.
#3 Antoine Griezmann
It hasn't been the most plain-sailing ride in Catalonia for Antoine Griezmann.
A prolific scorer with France and his old side Atletico Madrid, the star has struggled to replicate those heroics in blaugrana colors since arriving in 2019. However, his improved performances last season suggested he could still turn it around, and with no Messi to overshadow him, perhaps this might be the season where Griezmann truly springs back to life.
The Frenchman is not just a deadly scorer but also an exceptional creator, whilst also turning up in the big games for all his teams in the past.
Now in his third season at the Camp Nou, Griezmann has to deliver as Barcelona rely on his expertise and immense talent to produce results.
#2 Marc-Andre ter Stegen
Marc-Andre ter Stegen has been Blaugrana's most important player in the last three years after Lionel Messi. The Argentine's heroics often eclipsed the German custodian's performances, but there's no denying the impact he's made in the last few campaigns, bailing his side out with numerous crucial stops and saves.
Since arriving from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2014, Marc-Andre ter Stegen has played 278 games for the Catalans, keeping a clean sheet in 114 of them!
He's become indispensable to the side; a rock solid last line of defense, firmly establishing himself among the very best in the business. Barcelona will need more of his interventions this season as they plot their way back to the pinnacle of Spanish football.
#1 Memphis Depay
Barcelona have no dearth of goalscorers. But the player who's most likely to score the highest number of goals in the squad is Memphis Depay. Signed from Lyon on a free transfer, the Dutchman shrugged off his Premier League struggles by reinventing himself in Ligue 1.
He scored 76 times from 178 games in all competitions for the side in five years, including a Golden Boot winning tally of 20 goals last season.
There's plenty of expectation from him, as Depay also starred for the Oranje at Euro 2020, and has shown promising signs in the pre-season so far too.
At 27 years of age, the striker is currently in the prime of his career, so Barcelona can only hope he'd deliver the goods and help the side to more silverware success this season.
