La Liga 18/19: Villareal 4-4 Barcelona - 5 talking points from the match

#4 Malcom could be Valverde's ace

Malcom

could be useful in Barcelona's run-in

Malcom was the subject of one of the most controversial transfers in history when he arrived Barcelona from Bordeaux despite having agreed terms with AS Roma.

The Brazilian international was expected to provide cover for or even surpass Ousmane Dembele in the first team, but that has largely not been the case, as the 22-year-old has been nothing but a bit-part player so far this season.

He has made just 17 appearances for the club in all competitions, most of which have come in Cup competitions, with rumors indicating that he could be on his way out of the club.

On the few occasions where Malcom has however played, he has proved his usefulness, making meaningful contributions that suggest he is willing to fight for his spot in the team when most other players would have sulked on.

Against Villareal, Malcom was handed a rare start and he made the most of it, setting Coutinho up in the 12th minute for the opener before putting the ball in the back of the net four minutes later for his first La Liga goal.

His impressive cameos could come in handy for Valverde as he launches an assault on three competitions.

Malcom could be the secret ace up his sleeve, especially on the continent where Lionel Messi could find himself short of attacking support, given that Luis Suarez continues to struggle in the Champions League, while Coutinho is horribly off form and Dembele out injured.