FC Barcelona players set to receive a downgrade in FIFA 18
Coming off a La Liga winning season, Barcelona were one of the elite teams of FIFA 17, boasting the cream of the players in the game. The much vaunted MSN trio had fired them to domestic glory and saw each of them rated at levels above the 90 mark. Everything seemed to be going right for them, in the FIFA world and in reality until Real Madrid turned up in the 2016-17 season.
Coinciding with a collective drop in Barcelona’s form and some substandard signings, Real Madrid walked away with domestic and continental glory in 2016-17, leaving the Catalans licking their wounds. A number of substandard performances from new and established stars let the club down and will result in a subsequent drop in ratings for the players in FIFA 18. Read on to find out who these players could be.
1) Lionel Messi
A year ago, it would have been criminal to even suggest that Lionel Messi was due a rating downgrade in a FIFA release; but such have been the events of the past season, that even Lionel Messi, often referred to as one of the greatest footballers of all time, is due a rating downgrade in FIFA 18. The Argentine has often dragged the Catalans to glory in previous seasons but was unable to do so this season.
Rated at 93 in FIFA 17, Messi was already the second best player behind Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo who was given a 94 rating. The Portuguese went on to defend the Champions League with Real Madrid and will retain his rating while the Messi, on the other hand, suffered a rare season of less-than-stellar results with Barcelona, winning only the Copa Del Rey as the Los Blancos walked away with the La Liga and Champions League titles.
La Pulga suffered a dip in output this season and this will show in his ratings when FIFA 18 is released later this year. It may be surprising and even infuriating for some, but performances indicate that Messi could be rated at a level of 90-92 next season.