LaLiga Preview: FC Barcelona
The way and manner in which Barcelona ran through everyone in the league last season was a thing of joy and it was an experience that the Blaugrana will be eager to repeat.
In Ernesto Valverde's first season as coach, the team adapted quite well to the sea change in tactics from Luis Enrique's counter-attacking philosophy.
Once again, Lionel Messi was the go-to guy as his 34 goals and 12 assists helped push the team all the way to the La Liga and Copa Del Rey titles.
Outgoings and incomings
After 22 years at the club, from La Masia to 34 trophies, Andres Iniesta said his goodbyes to the only club he has ever known and thus closed the door on one of the greatest eras in the club's history.
The summer transfer window has seen a lot of other players also leave; Yerry Mina, Gerard Deulofeu, Marlon Santos, Aleix Vidal are among the players who have moved on.
Cules will be have been made happy by the incomings that have happened. French centre-back Clement Lenglet has been brought in from Sevilla. He has been joined by Brazilian midfielder Arthur Melo, Chilean midfield powerhouse Arturo Vidal, and winger Malcolm. These moves have had a galvanizing effect on expectations for the new season.
The defence is better than ever
In goal, German international Marc-Andre Ter Stegen is expected to continue as the team's undoubted number one. The ex Borussia Monchengladbach keeper was in inspired form between the sticks last season and is expected to continue playing a leading role for the club.
Dutch international Jasper Cillessen will continue as the backup to ter Stegen forming a goalkeeping team that would be the envy of any club.
The defence was one aspect of Barcelona's play that saw the most improvement in Valverde's first term. The improvements in the goal conceded section were down to the former Athletic Bilbao manager's tactics and his improvement of certain players.
Fresh from winning the World Cup, Samuel Umtiti is expected to continue his steady rise towards becoming one of Europe's premier centrebacks. Gerard Pique recently retired from the national team, which is good news for the team as it means he now has more time to rest.
These two are expected to continue being the first choice centrebacks with Lenglet the backup option. Forgotten man Thomas Vermaelen's future is uncertain but if he does stay, he is not expected to see much action.
Jordi Alba has grown into becoming one of the leaders of the team and is expected to continue holding down the left back position. With the exit of Lucas Digne to Everton, the 2nd left back role was expected to be filled by an academy product.
Marc Cucurella was widely expected to be that player but given pre-season play and stories coming from the team, it seems Portuguese youngster Juan Miranda might be the one to get the nod.
After his injury troubles in his debut season, Nelson Semedo will look to continue to push Sergi Roberto for the right-back slot.
The Midfield is looking very good
Midfield has seen the biggest changes in the team. Following the departure of Iniesta, Sergio Busquets is now the elder statesman of the midfield and will be expected to continue performing at a world-class level.
Ivan Rakitic, Arthur, and Vidal are expected to play significant roles as well as Valverde is likely to continue with a 3-man midfield
Vidal is expected to provide the box-to-box runs that Paulinho failed to do efficiently last season. After the failure of the Andre Gomes experiment, Cules will be hoping that Arthur lives up to his potential as the long-term heir to Xavi in terms of passing and controlling the play.
An intriguing player who looks set to play a key role in the team's season in Phillipe Coutinho. The Brazilian showed glimpses of his quality following his £120m move from Liverpool. Where he will play; as a central midfielder, a playmaker or an inverted winger is still a huge unknown.
What is not unknown is the quality he will offer as his passing, dead ball abilities, long-range shooting and creativity will be key to reducing the over-dependence on Messi. La Masia graduates Rafinha, Denis Suarez, Carlos Alena and Sergi Samper are expected to play bit-part roles in the midfield.
The attack needs to be better than last season's
Last season, Barca's attacking ploy was very simple: give it to Messi and see what happens. This was due to a number of factors: the departure of Neymar, Luis Suarez's inexplicable loss of form, Paco Alcacer's continuing struggles and a lack of pace out wide.
The injury that Ousmane Dembele suffered early in his Barcelona career really affected the team's attacking impetus. However, his return to form and the addition of the tricky and pacy Malcolm means that Valverde will have great options when it comes to playing down the flanks.
The manager will be hoping to get a tune out of the striking pair of Suarez and Alcacer. Suarez's performance in the Super Cup win over Sevilla was as bad as he had last season and if he proves himself, the 24-year-old Alcacer may get the nod to start in certain games instead of the Uruguayan.
Messi remains Messi and in his first season as the substantive captain of the team, La Pulga Atomica will be more motivated than ever.
It is expected that manager Valverde will tweak his setup a little as the team was too slow and too defensive last season, With the addition of the pacy players as well as the return to fitness of some of last season's new players, the Blaugrana look good to go all the way once again.
The manner of the exit at the hands of AS Roma in last season's UEFA Champions League still hurts and the team will be desperate to make amends. Like in La Liga, they look set to go all the way.
Prediction (La Liga): 1st
Prediction (UCL): Champions