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One of the biggest clubs in world football, Barcelona, have had an underwhelming 2020-21 campaign.
Barcelona are third in the La Liga with a game to go, while they were knocked out of the Champions League in the Round of 16 by Paris Saint-Germain. Manager Ronald Koeman is under immense pressure amid rumours that legendary midfielder Xavi could be appointed the new Barcelona manager next season.
Nevertheless, there have been a few exceptional individual performances for Barcelona this season. On that note, let's take a look at five such players.
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#5 Pedri | £63 million
Barcelona have had an inconsistent 2020-21 campaign, but the emergence of Pedri as a key first-team player has been a huge positive.
Pedri arrived in Barcelona from Las Palmas last summer, but his signing went under the radar amid all the chaos surrounding the club at that time. However, the 18-year old has had an excellent debut season for Barcelona and has been an ever-present in the first XI.
Pedri has made 37 La Liga appearances for the Blaugrana this season, impressing with his passing ability and versatility. Capable of playing in midfield as well as up front, the Spain international has a bright future ahead of him.
#4 Marc-Andre ter Stegen | £67.5 million
Regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, Marc-Andre ter Stegen has struggled this season for Barcelona.
The Germany international was signed from Borussia Monchengladbach for around £11 million in 2014, initially as a backup to Claudio Bravo. Bravo's departure from Camp Nou in 2016 saw Ter Stegen become the first-choice goalkeeper, producing some world-class performances during his stint at the club.
This season, things have been different for Ter Stegen, though. The 29-year old has made some uncharacteristic errors and recently announced that he would miss the Euros in the summer due to a knee injury that would require surgery.
Also Read: Top 5 contenders for the La Liga Golden Boot.
#3 Ansu Fati | £72 million
Barcelona's young sensation Ansu Fati is regarded as one of the world's best young players.
Fati enjoyed a sensational breakthrough campaign during the 2019-20 season. The 18-year old made 33 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona, scoring eight goals and impressing with his finishing and passing ability.
This season, he has been plagued by injuries, though. Fati made a good start to his campaign, scoring five goals in ten games before suffering a serious injury.
#2 Frenkie de Jong | £72 million
Barcelona might have some thinking to do regarding transfers. But there is no denying that the club have some exciting young players in their ranks at the moment. Frenkie de Jong is one such player.
The 24-year old made his name during the 2018-19 season at Ajax, with his performances in the Champions League capturing the attention of some of the top clubs in the continent. Despite interest from Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City, De Jong joined Barcelona in 2019 for a fee of £77.4 million.
The Netherlands international is an intelligent player and has good passing, vision and dribbling ability. Capable of operating as a centre-back, De Jong is blessed with versatility and tactical awareness.
#1 Lionel Messi | £72 million
Arguably the greatest player to have played the game, Lionel Messi is Barcelona's most valuable player.
Barcelona's greatest ever, Messi, is a one-club man. Having made his debut for the club in 2004, the Argentina international has scored goals and won trophies galore for the Blaugrana over the years.
Messi, a world-class dribbler, creator and goalscorer, has eked out records and has a trophy cabinet that speaks for itself.
The 33-year old, whose Barcelona contract expires in the summer, has been linked with moves to Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain. But Barcelona will hope their talisman stays with them beyond the summer.
Also Read: 5 biggest mistakes made by Barcelona this season (2020-21).
