How Barcelona could lineup in the 2020-21 season
Barcelona's fall from grace in the past 12 months has been one of the biggest talking points in world football. The Catalan giants finished the 2019-20 campaign trophyless and capitulated in embarrassing fashion in the Champions League quarter-finals against Bayern Munich.
Their 8-2 hammering in a single-legged tie went down as the worst defeat in the club's history, while Lionel Messi's initial decision to ask for a transfer compounded their misery. Barcelona are in complete disarray on and off the pitch and have a series of high-profile issues to sort out before the forthcoming season.
Quique Setien was sacked in the wake of their European exit, with former Barcelona defender Ronald Koeman taking over the reins from the Spaniard. The 57-year-old has his work cut out for him to awaken a sleeping giant of Barcelona's stature and is reportedly planning to fix gaping holes in the squad in the coming weeks.
A last dance for Lionel Messi at Barcelona?
Messi's dramatic U-turn proved to be a timely boost for the Blaugrana, as the Argentine released a statement and confirmed that he will remain at Barcelona for the time being. Having finally sorted out the future of his captain and talisman, Koeman is expected to dip into the transfer market to add more depth to the squad.
Memphis Depay and Georginio Wijnaldum are reportedly on the verge of moving to Barcelona this summer, while the likes of Miralem Pjanic, Trincao, Pedri and Matheus Fernandes have already joined the club and Philippe Coutinho has returned from his loan spell at Bayern Munich. The Catalan giants have also parted ways with Ivan Rakitic and Arthur Melo, who joined Juventus in a deal that saw Pjanic arrive at the Camp Nou.
Luis Suarez is also likely to leave the club this summer, as the striker prepares to bid farewell to the club after six years. Barcelona will look to put their problems behind them and start the season strongly, as they aim to reclaim their La Liga crown from Real Madrid.
Here's how the Catalan giants could lineup for the 2020-21 season, as they look to shape a new era under Koeman.
Goalkeeper: Marc-Andre ter Stegen
Marc-Andre ter Stegen is arguably Barcelona's most important player after Lionel Messi. The German international is one of the best goalkeepers in world football and has been an outstanding performer for the club since moving from Borussia Monchengladbach.
Barcelona struggled in the 2019-20 campaign, but Ter Stegen was one of the better performers for the Catalan giants. Aside from his shot-stopping prowess and his ability to command the backline, the 28-year-old is comfortable with the ball at his feet and is capable of starting plays out from the back.
Manuel Neuer is still Germany's #1 goalkeeper and rightly so, but Ter Stegen could give the Bayern Munich star a run for his money if he carries on performing like this in the coming years. Koeman has a handful of problems to address at Barcelona, but his goalkeeping department is sorted with a reliable presence like the German between the sticks.
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