Ranking the 5 players behind Barcelona's treble push in the 2018/19 season

#1 Lionel Messi

Who would top the list if not the mercurial Argentine? Following his Ballon d'Or snub last year, Lionel Messi has come out with a perfect response to his doubters this season, proving beyond arguments, why he is truly the greatest player in the history of the game.

He said it and he is doing it. After promising to return the Champions League trophy to the Nou Camp ahead of the season, the attacker is doing justice to his words in Europe's elite tournament, with his 12 goals and 3 assists in 9 appearances putting Barcelona in a decent position to claim the trophy once again this term.

Having sealed the La Liga title, Messi has recorded 34 goals and 15 assists to his name in the Spanish top flight, by virtue of which he leads the race for both the Pichichi trophy and the European Golden Shoe. With his combined 48 goals and 22 assists across every competition, he also tops Europe for the two stats. What a season he has had!

Honourable mentions: Ivan Rakitic, Clement Lenglet, Arturo Vidal, Ousmane Dembele

About the author

Jidonu is a European and international football news writer at Sportskeeda. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and has around 7 years of previous experience working with the likes of Tribuna and SportRaba, Jidonu has a good eye for detail and has the ability to created cohesive articles, and reporting exploits have also led him to exclusively cover the 2018 FIFA World Cup in the past.

Jidonu’s tryst with football started after watching the 2002 FIFA World Cup final between Brazil and Germany, being mesmerized by Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. Barcelona philosophy and approach towards the game under Pep Guardiola further fueled the burgeoning love for the sport, and he has been a Culer ever since.

Unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi is his favorite player and is the one true GOAT for him over Cristiano Ronaldo. The 2022 FIFA World Cup final, where Messi's brace led to La Albiceleste lifting the cup left a lasting impact on him. His love for Messi also sees him follow Major League Soccer apart from Europe’s top five leagues.

In his free time, Jidonu raps and produces music, and also enjoys reading and swimming.

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Edited by Rahul Arun