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Midfielders
Defensive midfield: Sergio Busquets (2008 - Present)
Pep Guardiola contributed a lot to Barcelona's history, but one of the most telling was his decision to place a lot of faith in an unheralded Sergio Busquets at the expense of the more established Yaya Toure.
Although often unsung, Busquets is an indispensable member of the Barcelona team and it can be argued that after Lionel Messi, he is the next most important player to the successful implementation of their tactical play.
The 31-year-old has made 550 appearances for Barcelona (4th highest in the club's history) - with 484 coming from 2010 onwards - while his trophy cabinet is stocked with medals from virtually every competition at both club and international level.
Central midfield: Xavi Hernandez (1998-2015)
Like Dani Alves, Xavi Hernandez has not been effectively replaced despite leaving the club in 2015, with numerous players being heralded as the 'next Xavi' only to falter in light of the immense shoes they are asked to fill.
However, unlike the Brazilian, Xavi began his career with Barcelona and got his football education at the famed La Masia, joining in 1991 and progressing through the ranks till he was appointed skipper of the first team.
Xavi had always been imbued with the tenets of Barcelona's possession play, but it was the appointment of Pep Guardiola that saw him blossom to become one of the best midfielders in history.
He was the fulcrum of the 'tiki-taka' philosophy that tore opposition to shreds during the height of Barcelona's powers and without his pristine passing precision and ability to find spaces, it is unarguable that the Catalans would not have been as successful as they were.
Xavi remains Barcelona's highest appearance maker with 767 appearances in all competitions and he departed most fittingly; by captaining the club to the treble in 2015.
The Catalan is taking is currently taking his first steps in management as coach of Qatari side Al-Saad and it would not be far-fetched to suggest that he could one day return to the club that gave him so much.
Attacking Midfield: Andres Iniesta (2002-2018)
When Pep Guardiola first saw Andres Iniesta play, he remarked that the little magician "would retire us all'', which was saying something, considering the quality of Guardiola and those around him in the first team.
As it happened, those words proved to be prophetic, with Iniesta going on to prove his mettle as one of the best midfielders to ever grace a football field.
What the World Cup winner could do with a ball at his feet was unbelievable and the fact that he did them so effortlessly only added to the growth of his legend.
Though lacking in excessive pace, shooting power, or physical attributes, Iniesta more than made up for these with his abilities and technique and he possessed the uncanny attribute of opening up the whole field for his teammates with just a swivel of his waist.
The Albacete native was one of the most universally loved players and in November 2015 became only the third Barcelona player to be applauded at the Santiago Bernabeu in the El Clasico.
When he departed Barcelona in 2018, a part of the club's soul was lost and so shaken by the departure was he that he was the last person to leave the Camp Nou at 2 am after the carnival-like farewell he was given.
