Six Barcelona players that must step up next season

Martin Montoya

We really do not know how good the full-back can be. Montoya has seen limited playing time and did not get the minutes he would have hoped for in his second full season in the side, but seems to have the speed and passing skill required to play at the top level and he also has an uncanny knack to get into the right place.

His failings have been being exposed defensively on a few occasions, and not converting some easy chances. Ultimately, he will be a great long term player for Barca, but this season he needs to make more of his playing time.

I often wonder if it would be a good idea to play him in central defence as a sub when needed. I have a hard time thinking he couldn’t at least be as good as Mascherano utilizing his speed and size, but his mentality and training have taught him differently so that might not be best.

I was surprised when Marc Bartra started over him in some key matches last year, but that further indicates that he might not have the skill set for central defence. Perhaps, it also underrates Mascherano’s football intelligence – this is an area where Montoya needs to improve. Getting caught out of position too often is a vital flaw.

He will certainly see more time this season. I think this player needs to be better defensively when given his chances and utilize his speed and passing talents to shut down players seeking to counter attack a slower Barcelona midfield.

Dani Alves and Adriano have missed time the last few seasons – Montoya is likely to get more opportunities than he has had in the past if that trend continues. He needs to make the most of it.