5 Barcelona players who have improved under Ernesto Valverde this season

If anyone had said at the beginning of the season that FC Barcelona would be where they currently are at the beginning of the season, they would have either been called deluded or incurable optimists.

Comfortably leading the La Liga table (11 points ahead of second place Atletico Madrid), into the Copa Del Rey semis and playing Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League round of 16, life is good for Cules right now.

Following the fiasco of the whole Neymar affair and fans’ anger at the way the club was being run by Josep Bartomeu and the board had created a poisonous state of affairs that threatened to derail the season.

The humiliation that Barca had received at the hands of arch-rivals Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup seemed a tip of the iceberg and a foretaste of what the season would offer.

Enormous credit must be given to manager Ernesto Valverde for the way he has managed to turn things around in his customary calm and methodical manner.

While stars like Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets among others have maintained their usual high standards, some previously underperforming players have risen to the occasion under Valverde’s guidance.

Here are five of the most improved Barcelona players this season:

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#5 Thomas Vermaelen

Vermaelen has been brilliant in the few games he has played this season

Forgotten man, injury-prone, “I forgot he plays for FC Barcelona”. These and many more are just some of the phrases that have been used to describe the former captain of the Belgian national team.

It is a testament to how badly his career has been affected by injuries to see that he has only played 28 since he joined the Blaugrana from Arsenal in 2014. These 28 games include the 9 he played while on loan at AS Roma in 2016.

The 32-year-old left footed center-back has been given a new lease of life since Valverde took over and has looked close to the player Barca thought they were getting when they signed him for £15m.

He has slotted in alongside Gerard Pique and in the 8 La Liga games he has played so far, he has been almost faultless in his tackling, passing and defensive duties.

In the injury-enforced absence of Samuel Umtiti, he covered for the French player and was superb scoring an average pass accuracy of 93% and creating 3 chances.

He could prove a key squad member giving the number of matches to be played between now and the end of the season.

#4 Andre Gomes

Gomes has been a shining star for the Blaugrana this season

Forget what the clueless Twitter boo boys are always saying, there has been a marked improvement in the performances of the Portuguese international midfielder this season.

Under former manager Luis Enrique, Gomes was a figure for derision at the Nou Camp as fans who had been spoiled by the majestic performances of midfield maestros like Xavi, Andreas Iniesta and to a lesser extent, Thiago Alcantara was less than impressed by the gangling ex-Valencia player’s displays.

Lacking confidence and often used in a variety of positions that did not fit in with his specific skill set, Gomes alongside former Valencia teammate Paco Alcacer looked out of a place in a struggling Barca team.

Now rejuvenated under Valverde’s astute management and playing in his favored central midfield role, he is showing the composure, driving runs from midfield and intelligent displays that were his hallmark during his time at the Mestalla.

I genuinely do not understand what some people have against André Gomes. Last season, the entire MF was a shitshow and he suffered. Now, under EV, he's a completely different player with so much potential. It's a new year, drop your baggage. Not too late to get on the bandwagon.

— Sameer (@Sameer_R13) January 21, 2018

He is now preferred to Nou Camp favorite Denis Suarez and will be a key man in the run in as Barca look to do the treble once again.

#3 Samuel Umtiti

Umtiti has been a rock at the back for Barca

The reaction of Barcelona fans to Umtiti’s injury in the 2-2 draw with Celta Vigo on 2nd December 2017 told the story of a player who had come to mean a lot to the fans.

The French international who had joined last season from Olympique Lyonnais in a €25 million deal had a below average first season thanks in no small part to the madness that enveloped the Nou Camp last season, a madness that consumed Luis Enrique and made a team of good players look decidedly average.

The 24-year-old has been like a new signing this season and up until he got injured, was staking a claim for being the best center-back in Europe. Pacy, strong with an immaculate sense of timing for making tackles, Umtiti’s game intelligence and technique has been further enhanced by the patient coaching of Valverde.

Until his injury, Barcelona had only conceded 4 goals in all competitions and alongside Pique, goalie Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and left-back Jordi Alba, the defense was looking solid and impregnable.Cules were very happy when he made his return in the Copa Del Rey game against Espanyol and will be hoping he can regain his form as soon as possible

#2 Jordi Alba

Arguably the best left back in Europe, Alba has rediscovered his mojo under Valverde

Last season was a brutal one for the graduate of La Masia. Often derided as a fast but brainless fullback who only knew how to run fast, Alba’s confidence was shot under former manager as he and fellow left-back Lucas Digne did little to convince onlookers that they were the real deal.

The Spanish international made 26 league appearances in a season blighted by injuries and loss of form and only got one goal which was a poor return for such an attack-minded player. The presence of Neymar on the left flank didn’t help Alba as the Brazilian’s drifting meant that he had to often cover both the attacking and defensive duties on the left flank.

Following the arrival of new manager Valverde, the former Athletic Bilbao manager tweaked the formation to ensure that the team had better balance instead of being as top heavy as it was in Enrique’s last season.

With the new switch to playing with at least 3 central midfielders, Alba has been like a man reborn as he can gallop forward and add bodies to the attack secure in the knowledge that one central midfielder will cover his runs.

The solidity of left-footed centre-backs Umtiti and Vermaelen have meant that the Spanish international left-back has a willing/capable partner whenever opponents attack in numbers down the left flank.

Now fully fit, Alba has become a major contributor to the Barca cause once again with his stats rivaling Europe’s best full-backs and he will be key in Barca’s run-in as well as for La Furia Roja at Russia 2018.

#1 Marc-Andre Ter Stegen

Ter Stegen has become one of the best goalkeepers in the world

Without doubt one of the best goalkeepers in the world, the German international has been quietly sensational this season and if Manuel Neuer does not recover in time, Die Mannschaft Joachim Löw will be more than reassured by the presence of the former Borussia Moenchengladbach goalie.

Ter Stegen has always been regarded as a top goalie but under Valverde, his decision making and distribution have improved and were vital towards helping the team through the first few games of the new Valverde era when both team and manager were trying to find their feet.

Gone is the habitual rush of blood which makes him make impetuous decisions which can sometimes lead to goals (Florenzi’s goal for AS Roma in the UCL in 2015 is an example). His amazing reflexes and command of his goal area have also improved under the watchful eyes of the Extremadura-born Valverde and have been a major factor in Barcelona’s new-found defensive resilience.