Barcelona endured there worst since under Luis Enrique, and their least successful one since 2013/14 – when Tata Martino’s side failed to lift any silverware. The Blaugrana were pipped to the league title by a resurgent Real Madrid, who captured the Spanish throne for the first time since 2011/12.
Not only did they fail to win La Liga, they were also knocked out of the UEFA Champions League season in the quarter-final by eventual runners-up Juventus. The only saving grace for Luis Enrique’s side was their triumph in the Copa del Rey, which has set up two exciting dates with Real Madrid in August.
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When all is said and done, Barcelona will look back and reflect on this season as one littered with mistakes and full of disappointments. So, without further ado, we take a look at how the Barcelona players fared in a season which was disappointing – to say the least.
Jasper Cillessen – N/A
The new signing from Ajax hardly got the chances to showcase his skills, having only made 10 appearances for the club in the entire season, 8 of which came in the Copa del Rey. Whenever he did get a chance he gave a good account of himself and made some important saves en route to the Copa del Rey triumph.
Carles Alena – N/A
The La Masia graduate was a constant fixture on the Barcelona bench as the club’s paper-thin squad was put to the sword towards the end of the season. He played only 116 minutes of football for the Blaugrana during the course of the season, deputizing for different players as Luis Enrique’s side looked to see off games. Maybe he will have a more significant impact next season.
Marlon Santos – N/A
Marlon had to provide cover in defence towards the end of the season and he did so with aplomb. He did have a few nervous moments but that can be expected from someone in his first season with one of the biggest clubs in the world. Hopefully, next season he will get more chances to showcase his potential.
Paco Alcacer – 4/10
Probably the biggest disappointment for Barcelona was the €30m recruit from Valencia. Paco Alcacer was not signed to displace Luis Suarez as the #1 striker at Barcelona but to provide cover for their mercurial front three, as and when required, and to eventually lead the front line for the Catalan giants.
8 goals from 28 appearances is not what one would expect from someone aspiring to be the main man for Barcelona. Yes, the stats don’t speak the entire truth given that he didn’t start most of the games but his lack of conviction in shooting and his inability to score past the relatively weaker teams were the biggest alarming signs.
One season is too early to judge any player but at a club like Barcelona, chances are you might not get another season. After all, even Zlatan Ibrahimovic was shipped out at the end of his first season. Here’s hoping Alcacer can prove his critics wrong in the upcoming season, should he still be at the club.
Jeremy Mathieu – 4/10
Mathieu played a peripheral role during the course of the season but the signs of his decline were visible to one and all. Signed as a cover for the first-choice centre-backs three seasons ago, the Frenchman has played his part for most of it and it is time that he is let go by the Catalan giants so that he can end his career while he is still playing an integral part, albeit at a relatively smaller club.
Andre Gomes – 4.5/10
Until around April, Andre Gomes was easily Barcelona’s biggest flop signing of the summer transfer window. The Portuguese was signed from Valencia for circa €35m but failed to establish himself in the first team and for most parts of the campaign looked bereft of any sort of confidence.
It was towards the end of the campaign that he put up some good displays which has earned him a rating higher than Alcacer but apart from that there is not much of note that the Portuguese did. He was signed to solve the issues in Barcelona’s midfield but rather than improving it, one could argue, he made it much worse, compounding the issues of the Catalan side.
It is unlikely that he will be sold in the summer and will get another chance next season to prove himself to the hierarchy but early signs are that he will never be live up to the expectations at a club as big as Barcelona.
Denis Suarez – 5/10
Re-signed from Villarreal in what was a catastrophic summer transfer window, Denis Suarez impressed at the start but faded away as the season progressed. The former Villarreal man was good towards the start of the season, so much that some had started hailing him as Xavi’s succcessor. However, since the turn of the year, his game time reduced by the week and he hardly played any part towards the end of the season.
The 23-year-old benefitted from the poor form of Ivan Rakitic towards the start but after Enrique started backing the Croatian’s experience, Suarez didn’t get much of a look-in. He has a long road ahead of him and chances are that he will turn it around next season and establish himself as a first-choice starter but he will have to work tremendously hard. It also depends on how highly new manager Ernesto Valverde rates him, for if he signs another midfielder, the Spaniard will have to wait for his chances.
Arda Turan – 5/10
The Turk has flattered to deceive since his €34m move from Atletico Madrid. Arda Turan was arguably the best player at the Vicente Calderon outfit but a combination of being played out of position and his style not suiting that of Barcelona has seen his stock fall rapidly.
Turan still managed to make 30 appearances for the club last season and returned with a decent haul of 13 goals and 7 assists. However, in the absence of Neymar or Messi, he didn’t have the same impact as the magical duo and it looks like his Camp Nou dream is coming to an end.
Javier Mascherano – 5/10
The Argentine has been a loyal servant of Barcelona for the past 7 years but now, more than ever, it feels that the time is right for Mascherano to part ways with the club. The 33-year-old is no longer the defender he once was and he has also lost a yard of pace.
His high-profile mistakes have proved costly for the club and although he filled in at right-back, as and when required, he simply cannot be used at that position for the course of the season.
The Argentine may have scored his first goal for the club this season but he should look for a move to a relatively smaller club where he can play an integral role and end his career as a first-team regular. He can still be a utility player for the Catalan giants but I am not sure, it is something that he envisages towards the twilight of his career.
Lucas Digne – 5.5/10
Another summer signing that failed to live up to the expectations. The Frenchman was signed from PSG to cover for Alba and while Digne didn’t actually disappoint whenever he got the chance, he didn’t do something spectacular either.
In the limited opportunities that he got, he tried to showcase his defensive and offensive qualities and overall gave a good account of himself. The Frenchman would be hoping to play a more central role next season but for that he needs to improve tremendously. And with age by his side, one could argue that he can eventually become an integral part of the first-team and we will be hoping it happens sooner rather than later.
Aleix Vidal – 5.5/10
Barcelona, quite bravely, started the season with Aleix Vidal as the only established right-back in their team. They did have Sergi Roberto too – a midfielder filling in at right-back – but expecting the duo to replace the mercurial Dani Alves was not the wisest of decisions and one which cost them dearly.
After it was clear that the Roberto experiment had failed, Vidal got a few chances in the first-team and he impressed but as fate would have it, he soon suffered a season-ending injury, which saw him miss most of the season apart from the Copa del Rey final.
Rafinha – 6/10
Rafinha was one of the bright spots in a rather disappointing season for the Camp Nou outfit. The 24-year-old was used in a number of different positions and he generally gave a good account of himself. The Brazilian was thriving particularly on the right-wing in the 3-3-1-3 formation deployed by Luis Enrique in some games, and a good example was the memorable comeback against PSG.
However, a meniscus injury sustained in February sidelined him for the remainder of the season and the Brazilian will be looking to come back from it, stronger than ever.
Jordi Alba – 6/10
Jordi Alba did what he has always done, maraud up and down the left wing, closing down opponents while also being a useful outlet in attack. The Spaniard didn’t do much wrong during the season but he didn’t do anything spectacular either.
He didn’t find a place for himself in the 3-3-1-3 formation deployed by Enrique towards the end of the season but it was not his fault as it was done to negate the lack of a right-back in the team. The Spaniard needs to improve next season if he wishes to continue as the first-choice under Valverde, or Lucas Digne is already knocking on the door.
Andres Iniesta – 6/10
Iniesta is slowly nearing the end of his career and as such he is no longer the dynamic midfielder that he once was. This season, the Spanish veteran, was marred with injuries and Barcelona suffered as a result. However, even when he was fully-fit, he didn’t have the sort of impact that he is so used to having.
Case in point the 4-0 humiliation at the hands of PSG or the 3-0 drubbing at the hands of Juventus, the Barcelona midfield was overrun and the Spaniard was caught in possession more often than one would expect.
The ugly truth is that Iniesta is on the decline and it is time Barcelona consider looking for alternatives, not to replace him but to ease the burden on him. In fact, the Catalan giants should also start preparing for the life without the Spaniard, for that day is not too far either.
Ivan Rakitic – 6/10
The Croatian was abysmal at the start of the season but got back into his element as the season progressed. Rakitic’s dip in form affected Barcelona tremendously as it deprived them of the goals from midfield, which proved to be pivotal in the preceding seasons. It was this dip in form which forced Luis Enrique to look at other alternatives, namely Denis Suarez.
However, since the turn of the year the Croatian slowly improved and the 3-2 win over Real Madrid in the last El Clasico of the season was probably his best display of the season, as not only did he make those late runs into the box but he also caused trouble to Zinedine Zidane’s side with his shooting. It was only fitting, that he scored an absolute thunderbolt in the game.
At one point it looked like the Croatian will be sold by Barcelona, such was his form but having turned it around towards the end, Rakitic will be looking to have a strong next season.
Sergi Roberto – 6/10
A midfielder filling in at right back is a receipe for disaster and that is exactly what happened. Barcelona made the mistake of putting all their eggs in one basket as they hoped that Roberto would fill the huge void left by the departure of Dani Alves and failed to sign a proper replacement. To the credit of the Spaniard, he did try his best but he just isn’t meant for that role.
Roberto has decent pace and can put in a shift at right-back but he cannot do it every week, especially against good opposition. He did try his best, and succeeded to a point and hence cannot be blamed for the poor decision making by his club.
Who could forget, the 25-year-old also scored the winner against PSG to complete one of the greatest comebacks of all time and I hope he gets the chance in midfield, one that he really deserves and a position from where he will be far more useful to the team.
Luis Suarez – 6/10
37 goals and 20 assists in a season and still a measly rating of 6? How is that even possible. Well, hear me out before you jump on me with knives and sticks.
Luis Suarez may have been the league’s second highest goalscorer, he may have the stats to back his claim as one of the premier strikers in the world but all of this cannot mask how much the Uruguayan has declined this season.
After an incredible 2015/16 season, Suarez’s name was being taken in the same breath as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo but how the mighty have fallen that, if truth be told, he might not even make it to the 10 best footballers in the world. Hell, he may even struggle to be counted as one of the 5 best strikers in the world.
Suarez may have got the goals but they have come, arguably, against weaker opponents and in situations when Barcelona were winning comfortably. In the crunch games, the former Liverpool man has struggled immensely and has missed a number of good chances. The Uruguayan looks bereft of confidence, while that instinctiveness in his shooting also seems to be fading.
Suarez of this season was a shadow of the man, who was the reason why MSN excelled last season, and Barcelona will be hoping that the striker gets back to his best next season.
Sergio Busquets – 6.5/10
It is no coincidence that Barcelona’s poor season happened at the same time when Busquets endured his worst season in recent memory. The Spaniard doesn’t relish this new style that the club have opted, as he is a midfielder built to thrive in a system where his side dominates possession. However, that has not always been the case under Luis Enrique, as his side were willing to give up the ball in order to find a breakthrough at the other end.
The Spaniard is still an excellent midfielder, adept in the art of tackling and sublime with his passing, however, to get the best out of him Barcelona need a more combative midfielder alongside him, who can do the dirty work while also doing all the running as Busquets is not especially known for being relentless. It will be interesting if Barcelona go back to tiki-taka football under Valverde or stick with their current system.
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen – 7/10
A lot of questions were asked about the German’s ability to be the first-choice at Barcelona when Claudio Bravo departed for Manchester City at the start of the season. At the end of the season, it can safely be said that the Catalan giants got the better deal as the Chilean struggled at the Etihad while Ter Stegen thrived in his role.
It is not to say that the German is perfect, or there is no room for improvement, or that there are no flaws in his game. In fact, there are flaws in his game and there is a huge room for improvement but the Camp Nou outfit should be relieved that they are on the right track with their goalkeeper, at least. At only 25 years of age, Ter Stegen can only improve from here.
Samuel Umtiti – 7/10
Umtiti was the only summer signing made by Barcelona, who looked to add quality to the squad and not just quantity. Barcelona only lost one league game with the Frenchman in the starting lineup and that speaks volumes about the impact he has had in his first season.
Umtiti is young and has tremendous room for improvement and it looks like Barcelona have found a real gem. With his calm presence and his ability to sniff out danger, Umtiti has proved to be one of the better players in the team and new manager, Ernesto Valverde, will be glad to have the Frenchman to build the defence with him at the heart of it.
Gerard Pique – 7/10
The Spanish defender was one of the better players for the Catalan club during the course of the season. When he was in the starting line-up Barcelona were much more organized in defence and as a result lost fewer games. Not only did he help marshal the troops, barking orders at his teammates, he also provided an outlet in attack if his side were trailing.
The Camp Nou outfit struggled in the absence of the Spaniard, which highlights his importance to the team and his understanding with Umtiti was one of the positives of the season.
Neymar – 7.5/10
Neymar, statistically, had his worst season in the colours of Barcelona, yet he received the second highest rating in the entire squad. He still scored 20 goals and assisted another 27 across all competitions.
The Brazilian may not have scored an inordinate amount of goals this season but he was the creative spark in Luis Enrique’s side which helped the team tick. He also won his side several games with his pace and trickery down the left-wing, as he would ghost past defenders before laying it on a plate for his teammates.
In a 7-minute spell of sheer magic, he inspired his side to the memorable comeback against PSG, scoring a sublime free-kick to instill hope in his teammates, who looked to have given up.
However, despite all of his dribbling and mesmerizing skills, the season also proved that the Brazilian is not ready to be the creative fulcrum of the side. He may be an insane dribbler and can ghost past many defenders but he does not have the decision making or prudence of a certain Argentine. Yes, he creates a lot of chances with his movement but he wastes more than half of them due to his poor decision making, he would pass when he should shoot, he would shoot when he should lay it off and so on.
Maybe he will develop those qualities with experience but as of now he should not be allowed to be the creative fulcrum of the side. Along with that, the free-role that has been afforded to him down the left has hurt Barcelona, as Messi does the same on the right. And having two players who don’t contribute in defence, enjoy free roles not only unbalances the team but it is also a recipe for disaster.
Lionel Messi – 9/10
Barcelona finished the season only 3 points behind title winners Real Madrid but the gap could have been 20 points, if not more, had Lionel Messi not been with the Catalan giants. With the arrival of Neymar and subsequently Luis Suarez, it was expected that the burden on Messi’s shoulder will be reduced, however, in all honesty, no Barcelona team has been as dependent on the diminutive Argentine as this one.
2013/14 is often termed as the period of Messidependencia but having witnessed this season, it can safely be said that the team has never relied so much on the brilliance of Messi. Yes, he is one of the greatest to have ever touched a football but to be so reliant on one player can only lead to the downfall of any team.
He is capable of the surreal, the extraordinary, the magical and he more often than not is up for the challenge. But at the end of the day, Messi is also human and as such his influence on the game can be restricted by a combination of brute force and intelligence, as was witnessed in the 4-0 and 3-0 humiliations at the hand of PSG and Juventus respectively.
Whenever Barcelona were in a spot of bother, whenever they ran out of ideas, they would pass the ball to Messi, or look to find him, hoping that the 5-time Ballon d’Or can bail them out. It would still be acceptable if he was the only superstar at the club, however, with the likes of Iniesta, Neymar and Suarez in their ranks, such level of dependence is foolish and alarming at the same time.
The season could have been much worse for Barcelona if not for Messi, and the club’s hierarchy should move hell and earth to provide him with a team to get the best out of him, for at 29, he is slowly but surely edging towards the end and once he does hang up his boots, there will never be another one like him.
Luis Enrique – 6/10
Luis Enrique has often been criticized for lacking the tactical nous to take a team to the next level, and these allegations, to a certain extent, are correct. The brilliance of MSN papered over the flaws of their manager last season but the sudden decline of Suarez and the erratic form of Neymar ensured that such was not the case this season.
His poor recruitment in the summer was one of the major factors behind this debacle, coupled with his inability to rotate his players to keep them fresh for crunch games. He did, however, shift to a rather bizarre 3-3-1-3 formation towards the end of the season to eliminate the need of full-backs and it resulted in some memorable results.
The Spaniard brought an end to his 3-year reign with the Copa del Rey triumph, which was his 9th trophy as the manager of Barcelona and it remains to be seen if he will enjoy similar success at another club, if and when he does return to management. The decision to leave the club was probably in the best interest of both the manager and the club.
