The international football break approaches, which gives us the time to review Barcelona’s best players of the past weeks. Scroll down to see our top three!
5. Jules Koundé
It’s been a while since Koundé gave up his favourite centre-back role and became Barcelona’s permanent full-back. While many argued this was only a temporary move, Koundé remained in this position and cemented his role in the starting XI.
The previous season brought about a significant change, with Lamine Yamal starting to regularly feature in the first team lineup. Yamal plays in front of Koundé, which means the Frenchman had to adapt and compensate for Lamine Yamal’s movements.
All eyes on Jules Kounde. 😍 pic.twitter.com/Q3fqUhOvGe
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 9, 2024
Koundé didn’t only do that; he also started moving forward more often, understanding that his partner needed him beyond the halfway line.
The stats confirm this change, as Koundé delivered three assists against Crvena Zvezda. However, this attacking drive doesn’t prevent him from his defending duties, which was evident when he silenced Vinicius Jr in El Clásico.
The Frenchman wanted to start training earlier at the beginning of the season, but the club advised against it. Despite his heavy workload, he remains one of the few players to avoid injury, further proving his dedication to the team.
4. Marc Casadó
Marc Casadó is one of the current unexpected stars of the current season. Under Xavi Hernández, Casadó often trained with the first team but never became a regular starter.
Marc Bernal seemed to be the choice for his position at the beginning of the season, but an ACL injury forced Barca coach Hansi Flick to change his plans. This change became Casadó ’s now-or-never moment, with Flick trusting him to be the leader in the midfield, which turned out to be the best possible decision.
Unpopular opinion: Marc Casado has already done more for Barca in 4 months than what Frenkie De Jong did in 5 years pic.twitter.com/2AwGMqtaiF
— K (@gavified) November 5, 2024
Casadó has become Flick’s most important player. In a system focused on athleticism and higher-paced transitions, it’s easy to forget someone needs to stop counter-attacks.
Casadó is exactly that type of player. He isn’t gifted with long legs like Sergio Busquets was, but his positioning allows him to be at the right time and place to intercept the ball. Casadó has consistently shown a great record in duels, where his physical strength allows him to fight for the ball in 1v1 situations.
It is impossible to replace him. Not only because of what he does but because of who he is. Every manager is represented by one specific player, and Casadó is that guy in Flick’s case.
3. Raphinha
Raphinha has always been a quality player, even before Flick took over from Xavi Hernández. However, since the arrival of the German coach, fans have seen a vast improvement in the Brazilian’s play.
Raphinha’s record in front of goal is off the charts. In twelve games, he has scored seven goals and assisted six. Raphinha both scored and provided an assist against Young Boys, assisted two against Alavés (3-0), and scored three out of Barcelona’s four goals in the Champions League against Bayern (4-1).
Petition to give the captain arm band back to Raphinha pic.twitter.com/njNIdAFPNC
— Berneese (@the_berneese_) November 10, 2024
In El Clásico, Raphinha again scored and assisted (4-0), a score that few had anticipated. Recently he scored in the local derby against Espanyol (3-1) before scoring and assisting in the Champions League against Crvena Zvezda (2-5).
Beyond this impressive number of goal involvements, Raphinha provides off-the-ball runs to his teammates, either distracting his marker or becoming a threat in the box. This has especially helped Lamine Yamal, as the youngster continues to be the team’s most important creator.
The Brazilian himself has highlighted the difference between Xavi and Flick: “Subconsciously, I already knew that I was going to have to come off. I tried to do everything in 60 minutes and nothing worked out. And other times, when things did work out for me, I was taken off anyway.”
2. Pau Cubarsí
Pau Cubarsí had shown glimpses of his talent under Xavi, shining as a teenager who isn’t afraid of taking responsibility with the ball. However, the importance of his ball-playing ability and outstanding understanding of the game weren’t as obvious as they are now.
A big part of Flick-ball is the assumption that Barca’s defenders can hold the offside trap. This tactic demands the centre-backs to watch out at all times, as offside traps are a coordinated effort that requires communication and shared responsibility.
No ens rendirem Culers!💪🏻⚔️💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/L2Zii2ttXU
— Pau Cubarsí Paredes 🎗️ ᶠᵃⁿ (@cubarsi_oficial) November 10, 2024
Cubarsí has proven to be a reliable centre-back in that aspect. His unique understanding of the game allows him to lead the backline, which is no easy task, given that he isn’t even 20 years old.
It’s rare to see young centre-backs shine like him because the role demands a lot of self-awareness. Cubarsí is also one of the few players who has been rarely rotated.
Pau Cubarsí was Barcelona’s standout player last night. At just 17, he showed impressive composure and maturity, once again showing that he’s someone whom his teammates can rely on. @AdriiFdez pic.twitter.com/tKnJdBojyk
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) November 11, 2024
Against Crvena Zvezda, he finished the game with about 10 stitches, which shows he’s willing to give it all. Cubarsí has become an essential squad member and will give Flick a hard time in January, when Ronald Araújo and Andreas Christensen will return.
1. Lamine Yamal
This list would be incomplete without the 17-year-old, who isn’t only the best youngster but also makes a strong case as one of the world’s top players. After winning the Kopa trophy, he continues to outplay defender after defender.
Although his first version was difficult to handle, Flick has been developing new aspects of his game. Known for being one of the best dribblers, Flick has now started having Lamine Yamal press and improving his gameplay without the ball.
The stats are impressive: In eleven games, Yamal scored five goals and assisted seven. He scored against Real Madrid and assisted against Espanyol, Bayern and Sevilla. Even when he doesn’t score or assist, he humiliates his opponents on the 1v1.
Hansi Flick without Lamine Yamal pic.twitter.com/HnMHzy5Ud8
— Troll Football (@TrollFootball) November 10, 2024
So far, there hasn’t been a defender able to come up with an anti- Yamal plan. He consistently demonstrates his unique style of dribbling in each match. Matched with a striker like Lewandowski, it’s needless to say that they’re now the most dangerous duo in Europe.
Similarly to Pau Cubarsí, fans worry about Yamal’s lack of rest. By now, Barcelona has become Yamal-dependent, and a game without him feels like watching an incomplete team. One wonders when or whether Flick will let the young star rest to avoid a case like Pedri.
