Barcelona La Liga Review – Messi Leads Barca to Classic Title Victory

Much Barcelona related literature can often become repetitive, bland, and generally uninformative. This derives from the simplistic brilliance of their journeys. Rarely does turmoil creep up upon the Catalonian giants. But every so often, the club will be defiant in ways which transcend their status as a club bigger than just a football team. This was one of those seasons. This was the year Lionel Messi showed the world he is back, if he was ever gone, that is.

Barcelona won the league with a game to spare, beating Atletico Madrid 1-0 at the Vicente Calderon thanks to an archetypal Messi goal where a minutely-worked 1-2 with his partner in crime Neymar was enough to get the all important goal; the move in truth though, was much a symbol of the season for La Blaugrana.

Whilst under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola especially, Barcelona were a team all about midfield; this year it was the attacking trident in which the whole team was centric to. Luis Enrique’s journey to Barcelona’s 23^rd title wasn’t reached at a canter, but was fraught with scandal and near collapse. Loss away to Real  Sociedad in January sparked an earthquake in Catalonia; Messi was leaving, as was Enrique, and Real Madrid would win everything.

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Then, suddenly, a compromise was made. Sense was found. Messi moved out to the right, accommodating Luis Suarez; and before long, the Neymar-Suarez-Messi trio were producing weekly performances which blew anything the world has ever seen out of the water. It really was that good.

Few moments stand out for Barcelona this season, and they’re not all celebratory. The loss to Real Madrid in October – Luis Suarez’s first game – was a frantic affair. The 3-1 loss saw Suarez’s undoubted ability, but often shackled out on the right. This was a precursor for things to come. The loss ended what was eight consecutive clean sheets for Barcelona – a theme of surprising defensive solidity for Barcelona throughout the campaign.

It didn’t get better from there, immediately losing to Celta Vigo 1-0 at the Camp Nou. Enrique’s job wasn’t at the height of scrutiny it would reach later in the year, but the signs of difficulty were clear to see by November. It all came to a head in the aforementioned loss to David Moyes Real Sociedad in January. Since then, Messi came alive like he never has before. Not just goals, but leadership too. Assisting 18 times in La Liga, Messi lead his team in every aspect along the way.

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Neymar fed off Messi’s unrelenting brilliance, while Luis Suarez came to life in the spring, scoring in eight consecutive matches, ending the season with a very impressive haul of 16 La Liga goals and a massive 14 assists too.

Latterly Xavi became a key player in many games, in what was to be his last season at the club before leaving for Al Saad following the season. But it was a fitting tribute that the midfield maestro was arguably in the form we seen from in five years ago, despite his age. Iniesta meanwhile had another relatively disappointing campaign, but his contributions shouldn’t be completely forgotten.

Often behind the radar, Ivan Rakitic added the much needed direct nature for Barcelona’s midfield which Cesc Fabregas could never deliver. Scoring five goals and making seven assists helped the Croatian along the way, but it was undoubtedly his box-to-box midfield skills which proved so vital, especially in the early months of the campaign.

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On the final day of the season, when La Blaugrana fell to a 2-2 draw at home to Deportivo La Coruna, it was the away side who celebrated more ferociously, having secured their place in the top flight for another season.

The mood was sombre. Their king, Xavi Hernandez, had played his last game for the club. Xavi’s departure opens up a new place in the midfield for Barcelona but more importantly a place for a new leader. Messi may be quiet, and may even have a subtle tendency for petulance.

But the Argentine’s remarkable season in every season – goal scoring in the big moments, helping out his team mates score more goals, moving to the right wing, all shows he has turned into the finest version of himself we will ever see. This has been the season where Messi has turned from the football superstar, into the next true leader of the biggest and more fearsome football team in the world.