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Barcelona have had a season of mixed fortunes. After enduring a slow start to the season, the Catalans finally hit their stride under new manager Ronald Koeman towards the end of 2020. They embarked on a resurgent spell following the turn of the year and even clawed their way back into the La Liga title race when it had seemed improbable to do so.
Barcelona crashed out of the La Liga title race following a dip in form in April
Barcelona won the Copa Del Rey and looked set to replace Atletico Madrid at the top of the table. However, the Catalans let go of the opportunity to cap off the season with a domestic double as they bottled it towards the end of the season.
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Some of their biggest stars stepped up while others weren't able to maintain their levels on a consistent basis. Without further ado, let's take a look at the top five Barcelona players this season.
#5 Jordi Alba
After the first couple of months of the season, questions were asked about Jordi Alba's ability to perform at the highest level week in and week out. However, the Spaniard hit sublime form in December and January. It coincided with Barcelona's upturn in form and Alba was clearly one of the major contributing factors.
The left-back has shown over the course of the season that even though he is 32-years-old, he still has a lot to offer the club. Alba's versatility and technical proficiency has enabled Ronald Koeman to use him as a defensive midfielder at times too.
Alba has had a good season. He has scored five goals and provided 12 assists in 48 appearances across all competitions this term. Barcelona are looking for a long-term replacement for Alba but he continues to remain a key figure and it looks like he has at least a couple more seasons of playing at the highest level left in him.
#4 Ousmane Dembele
Ousmane Dembele has enjoyed arguably his best season yet at Barcelona this term. The forward, who has struggled with multiple injury issues and disciplinary problems since his arrival at the Camp Nou, was able to produce a few moments of magic this season.
The jury is still out on whether or not Barcelona should keep him beyond the end of the season as his contract expires next summer and he is yet to sign an extension. But people are more convinced of the 23-year-old's talent than they have ever been.
Dembele has made a total of 29 appearances in the La Liga this season with only 18 of them being starts. He has made 42 appearances for Barcelona across all competitions and has scored 11 goals and racked up five assists.
#3 Frenkie De Jong
Frenkie De Jong is growing into one of the finest midfielders in La Liga and this season was a major step in the right direction for the Dutchman. Reunited with his former national team coach, De Jong was used in a variety of positions and it'd be fair to say that he did a commendable job throughout.
The 24-year-old started as a centre-back in about six games this season as Barcelona navigated an injury crisis. He also played as part of a double pivot at times alongside Sergio Busquets but was mainly used as a no. 8 with the freedom to foray forward and lend a helping hand to his teammates in attack.
In 50 appearances across all competitions for Barcelona this season, De Jong has scored seven goals and provided eight assists. His passing has been meticulous and has clocked a pass completion rate of 92% across all competitions for Barcelona. He is definitely going to have a big future at Barcelona.
#2 Antoine Griezmann
Yet another big-money signing, Antoine Griezmann, was unable to replicate the form from his Atletico Madrid days in his first season at Barcelona. However, he has been an important player for Barcelona this term.
The Frenchman was able to strike up a good partnership with Lionel Messi and the pair were the driving force behind Barcelona's resurgence midway through the season. Griezmann helped alleviate the burden of goalscoring on Lionel Messi and chipped in with goals and assists to help Barcelona win the Copa Del Rey.
He scored a total of 20 goals and racked up 12 assists for Barcelona in 48 appearances this term. Griezmann's best displays came in March and April, where he really stepped up and delivered in multiple important games and even scored a goal in the Copa Del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao.
There are rumours linking Griezmann with an exit as Barcelona scamper to free up funds to renew Lionel Messi's contract but after this season, if he does leave, his absence will be felt at the Camp Nou.
#1 Lionel Messi
No surprises here. Last summer's transfer window was dominated by rumours about Lionel Messi's potential exit from Barcelona. The footballing legend had informed the club that he intended to leave the club but was forced to stay put as a clause in his contract priced potential buyers out of a deal.
Predictably, Lionel Messi did not have a great start to the season. But once he found form, there was almost no stopping him. Messi ran riot in the La Liga since the start of 2021, scoring goals at a prolific rate and schlepping Barcelona back on track. He has proved once again why he is indispensable and that's why Barcelona are willing to offer him a new contract even if it will cost them an arm and a leg.
Lionel Messi is the top scorer in La Liga by a mile. He has scored 30 goals in 35 appearances and has provided 14 assists as well. Gerard Moreno is second on the list of top scorers in La Liga with only 23.
In total, he has scored 38 goals and racked up 11 assists across all competitions. While he has lost a yard of pace, his technical ability is still top-notch and he'll be gutted to have not won the La Liga title after coming so close.
