Following their successful debut season under Ernesto Valverde, Barcelona are back again and targeting more silverware.
Can they retain their domestic title? Will they win the double? Can they even go one step further and win the treble? Or will everything come crashing down? Here’s the lowdown on their prospects for 2018/19.
What has changed since last season?
Off the field? Nothing has changed. Maybe the World Cup helped but scandals, politics and any other stories have been kept to a minimum. On the field? There has been some redecorating done on the squad but ultimately there wasn’t much that needed changing.
How have they done in the transfer market?
Barça can be very hit and miss in the transfer market, but their business this summer has followed a very clear trend: youth. Clément Lenglet (23), Arthur (22) and Malcom (21) are all young players with high ceilings that can be both the club’s present and future.
Arturo Vidal (31) offers the complete opposite and comes in as an established international who’s conquered Europe with some top sides. His industry, physicality and goal threat will help replace Paulinho who returned to Guangzhou Evergrande after one season
Who will be their key man?
Lionel Messi. Of course it is. Sometimes you watch him play and you run out of superlatives for this God given talent. At 31, now is the time for Messi to become a reference point for this Barcelona side and last season you saw that coming to fruition. More goals, more assists, more chances created, more dribbles completed and more key passes than anyone else in this side. That’s how you lead by example.
Who will be their top scorer?
73, 46, 41, 58, 41, 54, 45. No, this isn’t the lottery. Those are Messi’s goalscoring tallies for the past seven seasons. Whether it’s coming off the right or playing centrally, it’s difficult to stop this man in full flow and you’ll be sorry to give him a sniff of goal.
It’ll be interesting to see how his role changes as he gets older but with Luis Suárez faltering, there’s no doubt that he’ll be the top scorer.
Are there any young players we should be keeping an eye on?
They’re very excited about Riqui Puig. The 19-year-old was afforded opportunities in pre-season due to high profile World Cup absentees and slotted in seamlessly.
Obviously we may never see another talent like Andrés Iniesta, but Puig is very similar in the way he can manipulate the ball and glide past players without standout physical attributes. We hope to see him in Copa del Rey and Copa de LaLiga matches.
What will Valverde’s biggest challenge be?
Wrestling the Champions League title away from Real Madrid. Last season they were looking good having beaten Chelsea quite convincingly, only to throw a 4-1 aggregate lead over Roma on an incredible night at the Stadio Olimpico.
Winning the league and Copa del Rey are achievements that cannot be dismissed, but the Barça hierarchy want the big one bag in Catalunya.
Valverde will also need to manage the Ousmane Dembélé situation carefully. The 21-year-old is potentially a generational talent and cannot be mismanaged – but with Coutinho, Messi, Suárez and now Malcom to contend with – it could elevate his game.
What does Barcelona’s best XI look like?
And finally, where will Barcelona finish in LaLiga?
They’ll win the league. Real Madrid are in transition under Julen Lopetegui and have just lost their most consistent goalscorer, while Atlético will push them all the way but ultimately fall short.