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#1 Lionel Messi
Not unexpectedly, Messi remains the biggest gamechanger in this Barcelona side. The phenomenon does enter some new territory this season however which could lead to him producing one of his finest campaigns to date or maybe slipping from his usual standards.
The departure of Cristiano Ronaldo leaves Messi as the main player in LaLiga. This could have a positive effect as he dominates all opposition and scoops up every award this season. Or, it could have a negative effect as he loses motivation without his rival.
Another factor affecting the Argentinian this season is his inheritance of the captain's armband. While Messi is undoubtedly an incredible player, a question mark remains over his ability as a leader on the pitch. He can lead by example with his performances, but can he motivate and berate players during the game if necessary?
These intriguing questions will be answered over the course of the season. For the game against Alaves, the icon will hope his performance can decide the match in favour of Barcelona, as it has done countless times before.
