Barcelona were very active in the winter window. The club managed to sign Dani Alves, Ferran Torres, Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, and Adama Traore in January. For Xavi though, his new signings had an immediate impact on Barca’s season proceedings and the former La Liga champions are now in third position in the table.
In fact, Xavi was derived of the services of the sensational Pedri after he arrived. But, the player returned from his injury in January and was almost akin to a new signing for the former Al-Sadd manager. He has been running the midfield for the Blaugrana in recent weeks.
Mathematically, Barcelona are still in with a chance to win the La Liga but it looks unlikely. They are now 12 points adrift of league leaders Real Madrid but are in with a huge chance of finishing second which seemed impossible late last year.
Barca in 2022 have looked like a transformed, and lethal outfit and are improving with every game.
Having said that, let us have a look at the best possible Barcelona lineup, taking into consideration the plethora of winter window signings.
Best Barcelona Lineup (4-3-3)
Goalkeeper
Marc Andre Ter Stegen has been able to show glimpses of his former self. As Barca’s defence has improved, Ter Stegen’s performance between the sticks has also improved. There is no doubt that the German goalkeeper can be even better but Xavi needed a comeback of sorts from his custodian. The former Borussia Monchengladbach keeper will be hoping to put years of unsatisfactory performances behind him, as Barca will now make one final push to secure a UCL spot, and possibly, make a late dash for the title.
Defence
Dani Alves has shown that age is just a number. The Brazilian full-back, at the age of 38, has shown that he still has what it takes to compete at the highest level. In the five outings that he has enjoyed in his comeback to La Liga, he has managed to score one goal and register two assists. His only goal thus far was a stunner against Atletico Madrid.
Jordi Alba is a reliable option for Xavi in the left defensive flank. The Spaniard has turned around his season post the Atleti game and has looked unstoppable since then. He has managed to score one goal and register seven assists from 20 La Liga outings this season. At the age of 32, he still remains one of the best full-backs in European football. Xavi has shown that he has immense faith and trust in Alba.
Ronald Araujo is perhaps the most improved player under Xavi. The 23-year-old’s defensive skills have improved a lot and he now looks a lot more comfortable on the ball as well. He has been a rock at the back for Los Cules and is currently undroppable from the Barcelona lineup. His importance to Xavi cannot be understated. Barca are currently in talks with Araujo over a new contract, with his current one expiring in 2023.
Gerard Pique has formed a dominant partnership with Araujo. The veteran has slowed down but is still one of the best defenders that Xavi has at his disposal. The Spaniard is a true icon for the club and is an important leader in the dressing room.
Midfield
Sergio Busquets‘s absence on Thursday against Galatasaray once again showed how important he is for Barcelona. He has been underrated throughout his career but like Araujo, his importance to Xavi cannot be understated. Busquets is still one of the very best ball-playing CDMs in the game. He controls the tempo of the game for Barcelona and is a true Blaugrana legend. Xavi has used Busquets wisely, this season. He is expected to have a major role for the remainder of the season as well.
Frenkie De Jong has been unlocked by Xavi. The Dutch midfielder is beginning to realize his true potential and his ceiling is very high. His eye for goal is being exploited by Xavi. Also, his ball control and the ability to maintain possession are what make him stand out. He is a pure midfielder in every sense and has also shown that he can play as part of a pivot.
Pedri, as stated earlier, has been like a new signing for Xavi. Pedri has started under Xavi in almost every game, since his return from injury. The 42-year-old has also challenged Pedri to score more goals. He has scored once and has assisted once this season in La Liga. Stats don’t paint the whole picture though. The 19-year-old is all class and he dictates the pace of the game. If Pedri is doing well, the chances are that Barca are also doing well, more often than not.
Attackers
Ferran Torres made headlines when he decided to leave Manchester City for Barcelona. The former Valencia winger had dreamt of leading the Barcelona attack and has been one of the best players under Xavi. Yes, he has missed quite a few scoring opportunities but his knack of getting into goal-scoring positions is scary. The 22-year-old’s game awareness and positioning are almost elite and it is natural that the goals will follow as we saw with his brace against Osasuna. Xavi has been satisfied with Torres’ performance so far but there is a lot more to come.
Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang is the striker that Barca have been lacking. He is not a long-term solution for the club in any way. But, he has shown that a pure striker is needed at Camp Nou, with such a creative midfield. His start to life at Barca has been rapid. The former Arsenal man has already scored five goals from six outings in La Liga, this season. He has been hard to defend against and is especially effective against high lines.
Adama Traore rejected a lucrative offer from Tottenham to accept a financially sub-par offer from Barcelona. The former La Masia graduate has been making things happen for Xavi. His extreme pace makes it almost impossible to catch him. He has already assisted four times from eight appearances for his boyhood club and he looks set for more.
But the scintillating return to form of contract rebel Ousmane Dembele has been hard to ignore. He is now a direct challenger of Traore for the right-wing spot and seems to be edging ahead in the battle thanks to his end product. He is already on 7 assists and 1 goal in the La Liga and given the presence of Torres and Aubameyang in the box, seems set to finish the season with a healthy assist tally.
