Barcelona are still in the hunt for their sixth UEFA Champions League and their first under Ernesto Valverde.
Lionel Messi had promised the fans before the beginning of the 2018-19 season that the team would do everything in their power to bring the trophy back to Camp Nou. After their humiliating loss against AS Roma in the semifinal stage of the competition, the fans needed that reassurance.
The Argentine looked like he was all set to deliver on his promise, but history repeated itself as Barca went down against Liverpool in similar fashion.
The Catalans have been a supreme force when it comes to LaLiga, as they have been crowned champions eight times in the last 11 years. But their main focus this year would be the UCL, and Barcelona are showing signs that they can finally end the curse and win the double this season.
Here we take a look at 3 reasons why Barcelona can do the Champions League and LaLiga double this season.
#3 The squad is perfectly balanced
Barcelona finally have the balance they have been craving for. With the addition of Antoine Griezmann, Frenkie de Jong, Junior Firpo, Ansu Fati and Carles Perez, Barca are stacked in all positions.
The Catalans struggled last season as they had no backup for Jordi Alba, who looked weary towards the end of the season. But Ernesto Valverde has rectified that by signing Real Betis’ highly rated left back Junior Firpo.
De Jong has been bossing Barca’s midfield alongside Sergio Busquets and Arthur. The Dutch international has integrated himself into the squad so well that it seems like he has been playing here for a decade. De Jong has set the bar of competition so high that even Ivan Rakitic is struggling to find a place in the starting XI.
Meanwhile, Griezmann alongside Fati and Perez took control of Blaugrana’s front line when Lionel Messi was sidelined and Luis Suarez was firing blanks. Now that Messi is back to his prime and the Uruguayan is regaining his lost form, Barca’s attacking options (along with Ousmane Dembele) seem frightening.
#2 Learning from past mistakes
Barcelona may have come so close to winning the UCL in recent times but they have not been able to keep themselves going till the very end. The Spanish giants have shown heaps of consistency in the league but are struggling to replicate those displays in the UCL.
The Catalans look out of gas by the time they reach the ultimate stages of the season, which is a big cause of concern for them. The reasons for that include lack of experimentation or rotation, insufficient squad depth, inefficient individual management and abysmal away form.
Valverde has consolidated his formation into a 4-3-3 and doesn’t seem keen on experimenting with that. However, he has been learning from the past and rotating his squad to keep his players fit, motivated and charged for the ultimate stages.
Valverde has even strengthened positions where Barca were outplayed last season. Antoine Griezmann is the ideal long-term replacement for Suarez, and is already showing what he’s capable of.
Frenkie de Jong has replaced Phillipe Coutinho with ease and is playing with fluidity. Nelson Semedo is their first choice RB ahead of a makeshift Sergi Roberto, who in turn is providing versatility in mid. Meanwhile younger players like Fati and Perez have instilled new energy into the squad.
Also, the team’s away form has been improving after dropping points against Granada and Athletic Bilbao early on in the league. The team is growing into the season and so is the players’ confidence.
#1 Lionel Messi is starting to hit his prime after returning from injury
Lionel Messi was sidelined for a month even before the season took off, which was a major blow for the Catalans. The Argentine’s calf injury seemed like a cause of grave concern for the Blaugrana as he felt discomfort even after being declared fully fit.
The 32-year-old’s struggles were quite evident, but slowly and steadily La Pulga is hitting his prime.
Messi has already shown what Barca were missing as he now has four goals and four assists in just five LaLiga appearances. The Argentine put in world class performances against Sevilla and Real Valladolid, and he’s off the mark in the UCL as well with a goal against Slavia Praha.
Despite Barcelona’s failure in the UCL last season, Messi was exceptional as he netted 12 goals and was the highest scorer of the tournament. He also lifted the Golden Boot last year for scoring 36 goals in LaLiga.
For Barca to triumph, Messi playing well is a necessity. The 32-year-old has reiterated his determination to bring the UCL back to Camp Nou, and with him leading from the front it could be a possibility this season.
