5 La Masia graduates Barcelona will struggle to replace

Some great footballers have played for FC Barcelona and quite a number have made it from the club's famous La Masia academy.

Some of these homegrown stars have achieved a lot at the club and the Blaugrana will find it difficult to replace them once they retire or leave the club.

This is almost a tradition, as the departure of any star in Barca is followed by the rise or introduction of another, such is La Masia's importance to the club's Més Que Un Club (More Than A Club) culture.

Barcelona has always replaced their departing idols, which is one of the reasons why the club has been so consistent in Europe. At times, the replacement is usually in the team before any prospective departure.

However, winter is coming and the homegrown core of the club's recent successes are gradually slowing down and replacing them will be difficult.

The Catalans are yet to find a suitable replacement for metronome Xavi who left for Qatari club, Al Sadd in 2015.

#5 Jordi Alba

The flying full-back has been a brilliant addition since his re-signing from Valencia

Jordi Alba was a La Masia product who was let go for being too small but re-joined Barcelona in 2012 and ever since then, he has been the first choice left-back.

Known for his great speed and ability to support in attack, Alba has remained an instrumental figure at the Camp Nou.

The defender has thrived under the Catalans' possession-based, pro-attacking and intense-pressing style of football.

Despite the fact that he is a defender, he remains a constant threat to opposing defences with his intelligent runs, creativity and goalscoring exploits.

During his stay at the club, he helped in scoring numerous vital goals and creating assists. He also helped the team to several trophies including a UEFA Champions League trophy and three La Liga titles alongside many other glories.

It will be a very big loss on the part of Barcelona if the player departs the Camp Nou and the La Liga giants will definitely find it difficult to replace him.

#4 Gerard Pique

Pique has been at the heart of a golden age for the Blaugrana and will be difficult to replace

Another La Masia graduate who had to go out before coming back, Pique had left Barca for Manchester United before returning to the Catalan team during Pep Guardiola's management in 2008.

He was a key player in the historic treble season of 2008/2009 season, forming a solid defensive partnership with club icon, Carles Puyol.

The defensive value he adds to the team is undeniable. He has been a solid central-back at the club ever with his ability in the air helping to make several aerial clearances.

Apart from his defensive strength, Pique also supports in the attack, something rare for a centre-back. During desperate moments, the Spaniard helps in launching attacks, while also scoring vital goals with his head.

He has helped Barcelona to win many trophies and will be missed by the club when he decides to depart or retire as replacing him will be really difficult.

#3 Sergio Busquets

His intelligence and ball-winning abilities are unparalleled in the Blaugrana's history

Arguably the best defensive midfielder of the past decade, Sergio Busquets is a role model for upcoming generations. Although underrated, his performances have only been matched by the very top players in the world.

Busquets is the perfect definition of a creative defensive midfielder possessing great strength and decent short passes which enables him to dominate the midfield. His brilliant his positioning and tackling inspired Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff to say:

"Positionally, he seems like a veteran with or without the ball. With the ball he makes what is difficult look easy: he disposes of the ball with one or two touches. Without the ball, he gives us a lesson: that of being in the right place to intercept and running just to recover the ball."

He has helped the team to claim a lot of trophies and will be irreplaceable once he hangs up his boots or leaves to look for a new challenge.

#2 Andres Iniesta

Don Andres has been sensational and will be sorely missed once he retires.

Captain of the team, Andres Iniesta is a true Nou Camp legend. He made his first-team debut at the age of 18 and ever since then, he has developed into one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.

A creative midfielder and a magician with the ball at his feet, Iniesta is one of the upholders of the Johan Cruyff football legacy based on possession and intense attacking. He is one of the promoters of the Dutch legend's football ideology which he described in a quote as:

"Receive, pass, offer, receive, pass, offer."

His passing and the ability to dribble past many players to open space and create chances for his teammates to score is incomparable.

Besides, the Spaniard also helps in scoring vital goals with his close finishing and long shots.

With age no longer on his side, Barcelona might soon lose him to retirement hence the pursuit of players like Phillipe Coutinho. It will be a teary day when the genius finally decides to park it in.

#1 Lionel Messi

The greatest, Leo will be almost impossible to replace once he decides to leave

The task to replace the greatest footballer in the history of the club will be one of the monumental proportions.

The Argentina maestro is truly a magician with the ball at his feet, scoring, creating and making goals with an attitude that inspires everyone around.

Messi has been central to Barca's unprecedented success in the past decade scoring over 500 goals and winning several trophies for the club.

With his triple roles of the goalscorer, assist maker and leader, Messi is so interwoven into the fabric at Barcelona that even the present iteration of Barcelona which is a pale imitation of the greatness of the recent past has a genuine chance at winning trophies with Messi in form.

The club will definitely be looking to get two or three world-class players to replace this peerless talent and it will be a sad, cold day when La Pulga decides to end his association with this great club