5 reasons behind Lionel Messi's incredible form this season

#3 The false 9 role

Barca legend, Pep Guardiola was the first to try Messi in the false 9 position and it worked like magic

If you really know Lionel Messi, you will recognize his early days at Barcelona when the little magician was undergoing the tutorship of club legend and elite tactician, Pep Guardiola. Pep Guardiola is clearly the best tactician in the game currently, and the Spaniard worked closely with the Argentine superstar during their time together at Barcelona.

Under Guardiola, Messi operated as a false 9 for the first time in his career. Ahead of an El Classico match at the Santiago Bernabeu on May 2, 2009, Guardiola called Messi and summoned him to his office.

He told the 21-year-old: “Tomorrow in Madrid, I want you to start on the wing as usual. But the minute I give you a sign, I want you to move away from the midfielders and into the space I just showed you.”

As instructed, Leo operated as a false 9, moving forward, dropping deep in midfield, making dazzling runs and confusing defenders. That night, another version of Leo was seen as he made it really tough for the Madrid outfit, scoring 2 goals and assisting one in a 6-2 demolition of Los Blancos.

Ever since then, the false 9 role has been made popular by the Argentine, and is usually recognized as his best position on the pitch.

With Luis Suarez out of form and Barca having to play without wingers, new manager, Ernesto Valverde decided to try Messi in the false-9 role yet again, and yet again, it worked like magic.

The playmaker now drops deep down in midfield to help Barca's middle-men, make dangerous runs and trouble defenders. Besides, he is constantly confusing opposing defenses as he drags opponents away in order to liberate his teammates.

That role has really helped Messi this term, and with 16 goals in 17 matches, he's surely just getting started.