LaLiga 2018-19: 5 Barcelona players to watch out for
Barcelona have begun the 2018-19 LaLiga season on a positive note as they are sitting at the top of the table with 12 points at the moment. Ernesto Valverde's side ended their 2017-18 campaign on an impressive note as the Catalans won the LaLiga title for the time.
The 54-year-old manager had expressed disappointment as Messi & co couldn’t make it to the semifinals of the 2017-18 Champions League, losing against a resolute AS Roma side in the quarterfinals. Although Valverde had stated that winning last season’s LaLiga title was a morale booster for his side.
Valverde also went on to say that winning the 2018-19 Champions League along with the Spanish LaLiga will be like an icing on the cake. Barcelona also made a smart buy this season in the form of Arturo Vidal from Bayern Munich which clearly shows that the Catalans were eager to sharpen their forward line. Barcelona also won their first game of the Champions League with a 4-0 win against PSV Eindhoven, which will do their confidence a world of good.
The Spanish giants currently are looking in decent form and Ernesto Valverde and the Barcelona team management will be hoping that the players come good during crucial situations. We take a look at 5 such players who could be crucial for Barcelona’s success in the 2018-19 season.
# 1 Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi will once again be expected to play a vital role for the Catalans as his presence in the forward line has always been influential for Barcelona. The 2017-18 Spanish LaLiga season was an eventful one for the Argentine, but the 31-year-old couldn’t replicate the same performances in the Champions League.
After a disappointing World Cup campaign in Russia where his side was knocked out in the quarterfinals, Messi will be eager to prove his class. Lionel Messi will be the core of Barcelona’s forward line. The Argentine has formed a deadly combo with the likes of Luis Suarez in the forward line.
Many thought that maybe after the departure of Neymar, the balance of their forward line might get affected, but the 31-year-old has teamed up quite well with Suarez in the forward line and his coordination with the midfield could be a crucial factor for Barcelona. Lionel Messi scored 34 goals in 36 games in the 2017-18 LaLiga season with 12 assists to his name.
He registered 6 goals in 10 Champions League games in the last season with 2 assists to his name. The striker will surely be a threat for the opposition with his creative dribbles and his accelerating runs. Messi has scored 4 goals in 4 games in the ongoing LaLiga season. Lionel Messi holds a commanding position in Barcelona’s forward line who has decided the outcome of a game with his individual brilliance.