#2 Could Rafinha step into Iniesta’s boots?
With Barcelona’s leader and most influential midfielder out for up to eight weeks thanks to an injury, the race for which player replaces Don Andres in the starting 11 has intensified. The battle will be between Andre Gomes, Denis Suarez, and Rafinha, all three of them being youngsters with a bright future ahead of them. Each of the three players possesses qualities that would be required to replace Iniesta, but there is one man leading that race now.
Rafinha looks to be the favorite to replace Iniesta and will be expected to start on Tuesday evening when the Catalans fly across the sea to face Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. His fantastic skill and hunger to contribute to the attack are great to watch, and the youngster looks to be in great form at the moment. However, he lacks the composure of Iniesta, which is a major factor in big games, while Andre Gomes is one of the most composed players. He could be given the nod ahead of Rafinha for that reason on Tuesday.