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Lionel Messi is a great player, there is no doubt about that. But his greatness has often been transcribed as the ineffectiveness of his team mates and his club, as if it were all a one man show. If you hold such a notion, erase it now. Barcelona are a truly great club and their achievements, recent or past, is not the product of a solo effort. Here are five reasons why Barcelona can succeed even without Messi.
#1 Tactical flexibility
During Guardiola's time, Barcelona often played in a shape resembling a 4-3-3, which sometimes switched to a 3-4-3. The idea was to get more players forward quickly in transition to overload the opposition area and cover as much space as possible. The system was also arranged in a way to get the best out of Messi.
Guardiola stepping down didn't bring about much change in the tactical set-up but the reliance on Messi has grown ever since. He has played behind the striker, playing creator or as the focal point of the team as a 'false 9'. The main set up of the team is expected to stay the same, under Enrique, but there can be a different dimension expected to the tactics.
Enrique actually prefers to play with a proper number 9 as has been witnessed from his time with Roma, Celta Vigo and now Barcelona, with Neymar playing as the striker in Suarez's absence. Suarez and Neymar should be ample for this role. Enrique can also switch it up by playing a false 9 from time to time, and again Neymar and Suarez are both good enough to do a decent job.
Messi's biggest exploits have come from playing behind the striker in the number 10 position, but again - if he were to be absent - Neymar could fill in without the team missing a beat. Neymar's biggest accomplishments have come playing in the free role that Messi now enjoys at Barcelona. If Neymar's directness is a problem, the manager can switch it up by playing Iniesta or Rakitic in that position. Luis Suarez is another option as he played a similar role, under Kenny Dalglish, at Liverpool.
All in all, a scenario involving Messi's absence from the team wouldn't be as damaging as in the early years. The team is well balanced and versatile enough to cope, if not thrive, in his absence.
#2 Neymar has stepped up
Neymar's journey from Santos to Barcelona was a very humbling one. He went from being the biggest superstar in the league to residing in Messi's shadow at Barcelona. So often used as pawn to get the best out of Messi, he has finally carved some responsibility for himself in the team.
The Brazilian star was often deployed as winger last season, primarily on the left. He made 19 starts in the league, scoring 9 goals and assisting 8. This season has seen him play as a striker - a transition that even Messi made sometime ago.
And just like Messi, he too has flourished. 4 starts and 7 goals, and although a lot of those goals have been assisted by Messi, it shows that Neymar has grown as a player and can adapt himself to the needs of his team.
With Brazil and Santos, Neymar was used to a freer role but has adapted well to the rigours of discipline that have been thrust upon him at Barcelona. He has shown he can excel in a variety of positions and, if Messi were to somehow be absent from this team, he is ready to step up and take the mantle from the Argentinian.
#3 The arrival of Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez needs no introduction. Famed as he is for his disciplinary issues, he is also an equally gifted footballer. His goal scoring record needs no mention. He is a striker who will score goals. Barcelona have needed one since 2011 (they did have David Villa, but his injury problems affected him).
Barcelona have a squad so strong, they could make do with any half decent poacher; but they've got themselves Suarez and it makes them one of the most potent attacking line-ups in the world.
Suarez isn't only a scorer of goals but also an excellent all round player. Without the ball, you can always see him harrying defenders into making mistakes and pressing high up the field. With the ball, he's constantly taking on defenders, twisting and turning past them with ease unbeknownst to lesser players. He is also very versatile, which should allow his manager, Luis Enrique, to mix things up when necessary.
Suarez also possesses the one thing that has been missing from Barcelona for a few years now. He can be quite a selfish player. As with any good striker in the world, Suarez wants as much of the ball as possible and this could be a boon for a team that has become quite stale due to their overbearing efforts at recreating the magic of 2011's tiki-taka. It could be the catalyst they need to reclaim the league title and challenge for the champions league again.
In Suarez, Barcelona have a world class player and their dependence on Messi's consistency in front of goal will no longer be as pronounced as it once was.
#4 Luis Enrique\'s acumen
Luis Enrique is another in a long line of managers that have been born and bred in the much vaunted philosophy of Barcelona. He is expected to make Barcelona feel like Barcelona again after the decadence of last season under Argentine manager Tata Martino.
Enrique is Barcelona's attempt at recreating the glory days of Pep Guardiola. But here's the spin - Enrique, doesn't believe in replicating exactly what Guardiola created, he believes it is a slight tinkering to the philosophy they already have in place.
Enrique has learned much in his career as a manager and has seen both highs and lows in his stints with Barcelona B, Roma and Celta Vigo. He has adhered to the Barcelona philosophy at all his clubs. But without the quality of players at his disposal, he has learned to adjust and improvise, carving his own niche in the process.
All his career he has tried to play the Barcelona way, but without the quality at his disposal. Doing the same at Barcelona should be a much easier task. With or without Messi, Enrique should be fine in his current job.
#5 Barcelona\'s Philosophy
With or without Messi, Barcelona do not lack talented players or game changers who can influence results with moments of sheer magic. Talent wise, the team is as good as any in La Liga or the Champions League to be able to challenge on all fronts.
But often it has been seen that talent alone is not enough to win games. Arsenal in the past decade have been a fine example of this. Liverpool and Roma, last season, also proved this. A little experience and temperament goes a long way in helping teams achieve success.
The current batch of players at Barcelona have won everything there is to win several times over the years. There is no reason that the exclusion of one player (particularly Messi) should prevent them from winning.
The combined presence of the likes of Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Gerard Pique, Neymar and now Luis Suarez should be enough to steady their ship in case they encounter rough weather.
