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Més que un Club, FC Barcelona is “more than a club” in Catalonia because it is one of its greatest ambassadors and also represents Catalan pride.
Barcelona is one the most followed and most successful football clubs in the world. Their legacy cannot be forgotten as long as the game lives. Some of the greatest players of the game like Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez, Laszlo Kubala, Patrick Kluivert, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Diego Maradona, Pep Guardiola, and Johan Cruyff have played at their famous ground, Camp Nou, Europe's largest football stadium.
It is not easy for any footballer to succeed under the expectations and pressure of playing for Barcelona. Many succeded and at the same time, a lot of world-class players underperformed. Some left the club and went on to have a great career elsewhere.
With that being said, let's take a look at the 5 players who spent time at Camp Nou, but performed better only after leaving the club
#5 Mark Hughes
Manchester United sold Mark Hughes to Barcelona in 1986. The transfer surprised many because the Welshman was with United ever since he was 14. However, his stay at the Camp Nou ended in two years.
He played 36 games for Barcelona and scored 5 goals during the 1986/87 season. He was loaned to Bayern the next season where he made only 23 appearances. Eventually, Mark Hughes returned to Old Trafford in 1988 for a then club record fee of £1.8 million.
He then went on to lift 2 Premier League and 3 FA Cup titles with Manchester United. Hughes made 352 appearances for Manchester United in his second stint and scored 116 goals. He also lifted the PFA Players' Player of the Year in 1988/89 and 1990/91.
#4 Pepe Reina
Pepe Reina is one of the most important players in the history of Liverpool. Though he did not win the Premier League, the Spaniard won the Premier League Golden Glove on three occasions (2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08). He also won the Liverpool Player of the Season in 2009/10. He was known for his quick reflexes, acrobatic saves, and ability to read the game.
However, his career did not start well at Camp Nou. Just after 30 appearances for the Catalan giants, Barcelona told Reina he was free to leave the club when they signed Robert Enke from Benfica. He was sold to Villarreal in 2002 where he made 136 appearances.
He then moved to Liverpool in 2005 where he established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in Europe. Pepe Reina made 394 appearances for Liverpool in 8 top-flight seasons in England. He is currently playing for the Serie A side Napoli.
#3 Thiago Alcantara
Thiago Alcantara started his youth career with Flamengo in Brazil and then moved to Barcelona's famous La Masia academy. He made his senior debut in 2009 and went on to make 101 appearances for Barcelona. However, he could not establish himself as a regular starter at Camp Nou.
He moved to Bayern Munich in 2013 and established himself as one of the best playmakers in European football. Thiago is a technically gifted player with excellent ball control. He is known for his creativity, great passing ability, and vision.
He has made 135 appearances for Bayern Munich so far and scored 21 times, along with 20 assists. He lifted 4 Bundesliga titles with Bayern and is an integral part of the Bayern Munich team. The 26-year-old is at the peak of his career and the move to Germany is doing wonders for him.
#2 Alexis Sanchez
Alexis Sanchez joined the Blaugrana in 2011 from Udinese. The Chilean made 141 appearances for the club and scored 47 times. However, he was deemed to surplus when Neymar Jr, Luis Suarez, and Ivan Rakitic arrived at the club.
He left Barcelona and joined Arsenal in 2014. It was at the Emirates where Alexis Sanchez became one of the most feared forwards in world football. In 122 Premier League appearances, Alexis Sanchez found the back of the net 60 times and assisted 25 more.
He is a hard-working player, capable of playing anywhere in the front line. He is known for his pace, stamina, agility, and work-rate. He can dribble past opponents with ease and excellent in one-on-one situations. His form at the Emirates turned heads of many top European clubs and Manchester United finally signed him in January 2018.
#1 Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Arguably one of the most feared strikers of modern day football. Ibrahimovic is a powerful striker, known for his finishing, ball control, and aerial abilities. It came as a surprise to many when Barcelona swapped Samuel Eto'o for Zlatan Ibrahimovic during the summer of 2009.
However, Zlatan Ibrahimovic had a torrid time at Camp Nou during his two years stay at the club. His relationship with coach Pep Guardiola deteriorated and Zlatan was sent on loan to Milan in 2010. He scored only 22 times in 46 appearances for the Catalan giants.
He signed a permanent deal with Milan in 2011 and scored 35 goals in 44 appearances during the 2011/12 season. He then moved to Paris Saint-Germain in 2012 and went on to become a sensation in Ligue 1. He scored 156 goals in 180 appearances for the French giants and lifted 4 consecutive Ligue 1 titles. He is currently playing for Manchester United in the Premier League.
