El Clasico 2018/19: 4 Players who could start in Messi's position for Barcelona

Lionel Messi picked up an injury during the LaLiga match against Seville FC on 20th of October that has ruled him out of contention when Barcelona host Real Madrid at the Camp Nou this weekend. It is a big blow for football lovers worldwide, who were hoping to see Messi sizzle once again in the encounter which has been one of his favourites.

The departure of Cristiano Ronaldo at the start of the season meant that the El Clasico had already lost a bit of its charm, yet Messi's absence will be a big headache for Valverde too, ahead of the crucial game.

Messi has so far scored 7 goals and registered 5 assists in the 9 LaLiga games he has appeared in. The Barcelona Skipper was in hot form before fracturing his forearm and he has been orchestrating the proceeding for Barcelona as usual. As such, his absence means that Barcelona lose quite a bit of their attacking edge and that the Real Madrid defence can breathe easy now.

However, even in his absence, Barcelona do have a few options to choose from to play in that trademark right attacking position. While it is true that emulating the attacking prowess and the ability to affect games of the Argentinean maestro is impossible, Valverde can call upon a few talents who could be effective against Real Madrid. As such, we look at the 4 players who could start in Messi's position in the El Classico this weekend.

#4 Malcolm

FC Barcelona v Boca Juniors - Joan Gamper Trophy

The Brazilian joined Barcelona this summer from Bordeaux, on the back of a fantastic season in the Ligue 1. Last season, Malcolm scored 12 goals and registered 8 assists from 38 games in all competitions and was so impressive that he drew the attention of Arsenal and Roma, however, Barcelona dived in at the last moment and got their man. It was supposed to be a fantastic signing, but for the Brazilian, life in Spain has been anything but rosy so far.

Malcolm has played just 25 minutes in the LaLiga this season. He has been on the bench twice and has two substitute appearances so far, 6 minutes against Valladolid and 19 minutes against Leganes.

Technically, the Brazilian is the ideal player to come in for Messi. He is fast, he is full of energy and skills and he likes to cut in from the right and shoot. While he is nowhere near the finished material yet, Valverde could take a risk and give Malcolm a chance to impress against Real Madrid at home.

#3 Philippe Coutinho

FC Barcelona v FC Internazionale - UEFA Champions League Group B

The Brazilian will most certainly start from the left side, however, Valverde could be tempted to surprise Real Madrid by starting Coutinho in Messi's position on the right. The Brazilian has already scored 4 goals from 13 games in all competitions so far, registering another 3 assists and since joining Barcelona at the start of the year, has taking to the La Liga like fish to water.

Coutinho has also formed a formidable understanding with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez and can be effective on the right wing as well. He thrives in the free role that Messi has mastered over the years and can find his teammates with inch-perfect balls.

However, Coutinho might not be as effective while cutting in from the right. Also, the Brazilian has thrived in the left side of the attack and moving him out of position might affect his playing style, especially since he is so good at cutting in from the left and shooting.

But if called upon, Coutinho is still capable of affecting the game from Messi's position.

#2 Ousmane Dembele

The Frenchman might have won the FIFA World Cup over the summer, but Dembele's career has failed to flourish ever since he joined Barcelona last season. However, he is in contention because he has already played in the right wing in a couple of games this season, against Athletic Bilbao and Seville.

Dembele has scored 5 goals from 11 appearances so far this season, but all of his goals have come while starting from the left attacking position. Nevertheless, the youngster is equally adept at playing in the right attacking position and has the necessary speed and trickery to cause the opposition enough trouble on his day. Perhaps his lack of consistency would be the only concern, but Dembele gives Barcelona a great option ahead of the El Clasico.

Against Real Madrid, Dembele could get a run in if Valverde decides to go all out for the win at Nou Camp, and the Frenchman has the ability to cause the Real Madrid defence some serious trouble.

#1 Rafinha

The Brazilian impressed while playing in the right attacking position against Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League in midweek. He played 72 minutes and picked up a goal and Valverde will most certainly look at Rafinha to fill the gigantic void left by Messi's absence in the El Clasico.

This season, the Brazilian has played 5 games and scored 1 goal. He has played just 59 minutes in the La Liga, starting just 1 game and appearing as a substitute in the other for 2 minutes only. However, both those appearances were as a part of the central midfield. He has also spent 2 more games on the bench.

The game against Inter was the first time that Rafinha had started in the right attacking position and the Brazilian looked lively from the start. It was already a tough ask to fill Messi's boot, but Rafinha performed admirably on the night.

He had an effort saved, before scoring the opening goal and perhaps did just enough to be in contention to start the El Clasico. Whether he can have a similar impact against Real Madrid remains to be seen.

Edited by Sundaresh Kumar