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Barcelona: 5 players who will benefit from La Liga restart

By Ashwin Varkey

BARCELONA, SPAIN - MARCH 07: (L-R) FC Barcelona squad poses for team photo with Goalkeeper Marc Ter Stegen, Clement Lenglet, Frenkie de Jong, Ivan Rakitic, Sergio Busquets, Gerard Pique, Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann, Martin Braithwaite, Nelson Semedo and Jordi Alba during the Liga match between FC Barcelona and Real Sociedad at Camp Nou on March 7, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
BARCELONA, SPAIN - MARCH 07: (L-R) FC Barcelona squad poses for team photo with Goalkeeper Marc Ter Stegen, Clement Lenglet, Frenkie de Jong, Ivan Rakitic, Sergio Busquets, Gerard Pique, Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann, Martin Braithwaite, Nelson Semedo and Jordi Alba during the Liga match between FC Barcelona and Real Sociedad at Camp Nou on March 7, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images) /
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Barcelona squad (Photo by Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images) /

Lionel Messi is ready to guide Barcelona to La Liga title and the Champions League after a well-earned rest

Quique Setien is currently equipping his squad for the resumption of the La Liga season, following a three-month gap caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Messi and co returned to training at Camp Nou last month and will be raring to get back on the pitch for the meeting with Mallorca on June 13.

Barca was on course for a third successive title when the action was stopped in March, having secured a two-point lead at the top of the table over arch-rivals Real Madrid.

But let’s take a look at the five players whose futures are in doubt at Camp Nou and will need to step up their game to help Barcelona to the title and even secure a new contract for themselves.

#5 Ivan Rakitic

The Croatian central midfielder was reportedly offered to Paris Saint-Germain last summer as part of a swap deal that would have seen Neymar return to Camp Nou, and he is said to be a significant target for Inter and Juventus.

His contract at Camp Nou expires next year, and he has lost his starting place in the first-team this La Liga season, having just ten starts in 21 La Liga games.

Ivan Rakitic is a balanced midfielder and shows a great tactical mind which implies positional restraint and versatility, and this is why he grew into one of the first names on the team sheet at Barcelona. But with the arrival of Arthur and Frenkie De Jong, he is going to have to fight for his place at Camp Nou.

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