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#3 Samuel Umtiti
One major area of concern for Barcelona when the season started was the lack of defensive organization and leadership. Even someone like Gerrard Pique looked distressed by Real Madrid’s development and bemoaned the fact that his team was second best to Los Blancos.
Javier Mascherano’s form was a worrying factor too and the defence was seen as being quite shaky. However, the fashion in which Samuel Umtiti started the season has forced everyone to change his or her opinion.
The Frenchman is a solid centre-back and has all the attributes that one demands from a modern defender. He has a good awareness of the game, which helps him get in positions in quick time. He is very alert inside the box and possesses a calm head.
Umtiti is assured with the ball at his feet and can start attacks from the back. He shows no signs of complacency or clumsiness while going ahead and is an extremely confident young man.
There is a sense of authority and confidence every time he steps on the pitch, something that is missing from Mascherano.
This season, he has grown into his role and appears a bit more assured in the crunch moments of the game.
His style is easy on the eye as he makes good use of his intelligence and awareness to get to the ball faster than the opposition and can pick out precise passes between the lines. This helps the team to make smooth transitions from defence to attack.
The manner and attitude with which Samuel Umtiti stepped up and responded to the manager’s demands makes him an irreplaceable part of Barcelona’s setup.
