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The Catalan giants Barcelona have been a top force in all competitions this season, but their European glory days seem to have vanished, as their direct rivals Real Madrid have won three back to back UEFA Champions League titles. Barcelona has been heavily choking in the knock out stages of the UCL, mainly because of their lack of attitude.
Barca's performance this season will be the decider of Ernesto Valverde's future with the Catalan side, and if Valverde and co do not win a treble, or at least the UCL, the Culés won't be happy and EV will likely be sacked, considering the millions Barcelona have paid for bringing in reinforcements in the form of Dembele, Coutinho, Malcolm etc.
But Barcelona has been more consistent and stable than Los Blancos domestically, with the Catalan team winning the domestic double almost every other year.
This year's transfer window has been impressive for Barcelona, as they have brought in quality players to compete for all the three titles. The likes of Vidal, Lenglet, Arthur, and Malcolm are offering immense squad depth, and this certainly is a plus point for the Catalan side.
Barcelona's star player Leo Messi has been on sublime form once again, scoring nearly 17 goals and bagging 9 assists in all competitions. The '5th best player in the world' is the top scorer of La Liga, the highest assist-provider in La Liga and the second top scorer of UCL despite losing out on nearly 3 weeks of football due to a shoulder injury.
In fact, plenty of players are to be admired for the brilliant form Messi is on, as the Argentine has been playing more freely than the past seasons. This is because the likes of Ousmane Dembele, Phillipe Coutinho, and his partner-in-crime Luis Suarez have taken up the job, sharing the pressure and helping Messi to perform at his best.
#6 Phillipe Coutinho
The Brazilian wizard has impressed fans all across the world from his scintillating performances for the Catalan side, and he has won the trust of his teammates. Leo Messi and Suarez gel up with the 25-year-old with ease, making it look like they have been playing together forever.
Coutinho has already bagged 4 goals and an assist in 13 La Liga appearances. Luis Suarez, his former Liverpool teammate, has had a positive influence on Coutinho, and Suarez has helped him get along with his new Barcelona mates.
It was Phillipe Coutinho's dream to play for Barcelona, and he has been utilising his chances to the utmost limit to leave a mark on the Camp Nou the day he retires.
#5 Jordi Alba
Words can't describe how blessed the Culés are to have Jordi Alba playing for Barcelona. His talents are unmatched, and his extraordinary skills are unreal.
Jordi Alba has been one of the most important players for the Blaugrana, and the Spanish left-back rarely has an off day. His consistency, pace, defending and confidence on the ball is second to none.
Leo Messi and Jordi Alba share a very unique relationship on and off the pitch. They tend to understand each other well, and the duo is said to be one of the most lethal in the world. Jordi Alba's pace helps him get behind defenders with ease, and Messi picks out accurate airballs like it is just a regular thing to do.
Alba has registered 3 assists this season, all ending with goals from Leo Messi. Also, he has scored just one goal in La Liga this season, which was an assist from Leo. Jordi Alba has been a key player for Ernesto Valverde's men and the fans expect a lot more from him, as they try to bag a treble this season.
#4 Ivan Rakitic
Rakitic has been a blessing to the Catalans. He is one of the few players who score goals with a certain degree of flair and that makes him one of a kind. You won't see him waiting for tap-ins. Instead, long rangers and volleys are his favourite type. He does not get many chances, but he makes sure he doesn't miss any of the chances he gets.
Rakitic's biggest compliment is when he is taken off the pitch, it's noticeable. He is such a selfless footballer. He does the dirty work and protects the backline over and over.
Ivan Rakitic has played the most minutes for Barcelona this season. He is one of the few reasons why Barcelona's forwards play their game with absolute freedom. Rakitic, alongside Busquets, do not let anyone pass by, and they have arguably been the best defensive midfield pair for a few seasons now.
Under Valverde, Rakitic has played a key role in protecting the back line and at the same time, starting off attacks by playing wide or through the centre. He allows Busquets to participate more in attacks by playing a deeper role.
Extraordinary work rate, perfect positioning, interceptions, tackles, blocks in every minute of the game, and rare but beautiful goals; that sums up everything about Rakitic.
#3 Marc-Andre Ter Stegen
Marc-Andre 'Wall' Stegen is one of the few nicknames he has earned through his incredible performances for the Catalans.
You might be thinking how he could help Messi lead Barcelona. Well, he's not helping Messi directly, but the consistency and brilliance he has shown this season are no less than that of Messi's.
He has been a reliable player, and when the defence experiences an off day, you can sure count on Ter Stegen. Unlike most of the goalkeepers, his confidence in playing with his feet gives him a spot above each and every goalkeeper there is.
Week in week out, he never fails to impress. The German is probably the best at what he does. The possession-based football Barcelona prefer to play would not be possible without a keeper like Ter Stegen.
He demonstrates himself as more of a midfielder than a goalkeeper, showing off his extraordinary composure and control on the ball. The German is a gem of a player and the competition Jasper Cillesen provides from the bench only forces Ter Stegen to go one way - forward.
#2 Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez has been on a downward spiral since the time Neymar moved to Paris. It was clear that Neymar had a heavy impact in Suarez's world-class performances, but it seemed to be that Suarez was going out of form, losing his touch and also his 'best striker' title.
However, this season, he has regained his form and confidence, performing much better than the last season. He has scored 10 goals for Barcelona this season in La Liga, just one less than Leo Messi, and has 4 assists as well.
Luis Suarez was also the man who led Barcelona to a 5-1 victory over Real Madrid over a month ago, scoring an incredible hattrick, and surprisingly, without Leo Messi. The Argentine was sidelined due to a shoulder injury, but Suarez did not let the fans feel doubtful about winning the game.
Leo Messi and Luis Suarez are considered to be one of the best pairs all across Europe, and Messi's form heavily depends on that of Suarez. Even when the Urugyuan is not scoring, his playmaking skills come handy for the Catalans, and that is what separates him from the rest.
#1 Ousmane Dembele
Ousmane Dembele's first season with Barcelona was startling, with two back to back injuries reducing his game time to almost nil. He didn't get much playing time at the World Cup either. His short tenure at Dortmund gained him millions of fans across the world, and one of them was Barcelona's president, Joseph Bartomeu.
Dembele moved to Barcelona for a fee of 100 million, but he has failed to keep up to the hype - thanks to his injuries. He struggled to win a starting position for the Blaugrana and he was already being linked to several English clubs for a transfer move.
However, his latest performances for the Catalans have regained him the trust of his teammates and most importantly, the coach. Dembele's pace, skills, vision and composure are incredible, considering the fact that he is just 21 years old.
Dembele's game is similar to that of Messi's - dribbling through the defence, finding players through air balls and through balls, and a lethal left foot. Messi probably sees him as his heir, and justifiably so.
Ousmane Dembele reduces Messi's job by a great extent, helping him focus more on goalscoring, and that is the reason why I feel he will play the most important and vital role in helping Leo Messi to win a treble this term.
