CDM – Pep Guardiola
Pep learned his playing style, perfected it and built an entire philosophy around it. At the core of Cruyff’s ‘Dream Team’ of the 1990s, Guardiola occupied the ‘pivot’ role and formed a direct link between defence and attack.
The little Spaniard believed in holding possession and utilising it to the utmost effect. He played a vital role in the club’s first European Cup win in 1992, won four successive league titles between 1991 and 1994, and has since gone on to transfer his tactical genius to the sidelines. It is certain that the man from Santpedor remains one of the finest footballers and managers of all time.
CM – Xavi
Although only just over 5’ 5”, Xavi Hernandez stamped his mark on the game in a career with the Blaugrana spanning 17 years, in which he demonstrated sublime balance and vision to become one of the finest playmakers of all time.
He idolised the aforementioned Guardiola and Pep’s return to the Nou Camp as manager spurred Xavi on to build stronger bridges between a rock-hard defence and an innovative attack, rendering him as one of the most recognisable faces of the modern football era.
CM – Michael Laudrup
One of the more famous faces among the international contingent that formed the ‘Dream Team’, Laudrup’s job was simple but challenging; he orchestrated attack after attack, setting up the likes of Stoichkov and Romario, meanwhile acting as a solid anchor in midfield.
The Great Dane arrived at Barcelona from Juventus in 1989 off the back of a poor spell with the Italian giants, but revolutionised himself and the game while with the Catalans, making assist after assist and scoring a few himself.
