5 players who have benefited from Lionel Messi's Barcelona departure
It was the end of an era at Barcelona last summer as Lionel Messi finally bid farewell to the iconic Camp Nou stadium after 21 historic years. The Argentine ended up joining PSG, signing a two-year contract with the Parisians that will keep him at the Parc des Princes until the summer of 2023.
A lot has happened at Barcelona since Lionel Messi's departure. A drop in the level of performance, revenue, and fan activity are some of the negatives. On the other hand, the Blaugrana are now rebuilding a new generation of bright talents with a lot of promise for the future.
In the same vein, they also have a couple of players who have had opportunities come their way in the absence of the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner. While some of these players have seized the chance to announce themselves to the world, others are gradually raising their level of performance.
That said, let's quickly discuss five Barcelona stars who have benefited from Lionel Messi's departure so far.
#5 Abde Ezzalzouli
With Lionel Messi gone and the likes of Ousmane Dembele, Ansu Fati, and Memphis Depay struggling with injuries following Xavi's takeover, the tactician was short of options upfront.
Xavi decided to make a bold decision by summoning talents from the youth setup and Abde Ezzalzouli was one of the few players who got the shot. Despite his lack of experience, the youngster proved to the world that he can become a real monster on the flanks.
He made 12 appearances for the Blaugrana across all competitions, recording one goal to his name. While Abde's numbers may not be too impressive, his overall effort on the picth has been nothing short of brilliant. He constantly troubled opposition's defense with his sheer pace, daring take-ons, and incredible dribbling skills.
#4 Ferran Jutgla
Similar to Abde, Xavi promoted Ferran Jutgla amid the shortage of options in attack and the attacker did quite well, justifying the tactician's faith with a series of brilliant performances.
The 23-year-old played nine games with the senior team across all competitions, recording two goals to his name. Although he has returned to playing for the junior team, fans will definitely be eager to see him in action once again when the opportunity comes up.