Barcelona ended up having one of the most average campaigns in their history in the 2020/21 season but it was still better than the previous year where they couldn’t win a single trophy.
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It was Ronald Koeman’s first season in charge and one can pretty much credit him with the fact that he did very well given the problems he ended up having. He had multiple off-the-pitch problems with the club. Barcelona were not being run properly and there were huge financial problems at the club.
The manager also faced a lot of on-the-pitch problems where he had major players like Samuel Umtiti, Phillippe Coutinho, Gerard Pique, Ansu Fati, and a few others injured for most parts of the season.
While the overall season was underwhelming, there were lots of positives, especially when considering the number of youngsters that were integrated into the squad.
Pedri, Ronald Araujo, Oscar Mingueza, and many more were given the chance to showcase their talent and with Koeman continuing for next season, it is very likely that more youth will be added to the squad soon.
Hence, we look in detail at the various positions of Ronald Koeman’s current team that can be upgraded and improved by the coach while using the limited resources.
#4 Central defense
The coach has had many defensive problems at the club. Two of his main central defenders, Samuel Umtiti and Gerard Pique, have been out with injuries last season. When Pique did play, he was not at his best. Replacements are absolutely needed at the Nou Camp. Most of their experienced defenders are already pretty aged. When it comes to the likes of Clement Lenglet and Oscar Mingueza, the players are either extremely inconsistent and error-prone and/or too young.
Barcelona has been linked with multiple players in the defensive position in this current transfer window, such as AC Milan’s Romagnoli and Manchester City‘s Aymeric Laporte. They did end up landing 20-year-old Eric Garcia from Manchester City on a free transfer but he’s too young to have a serious impact and lead the team to their glory days again.
If the Blaugrana are to get back at their best, they will have to improve their defense. The current center-backs are either old, off-form, injured, and/or error-prone. Immediate and quick changes are needed in order for Barcelona to get back to its very best.
#3 Left-back
another position that the La Liga giants need to strengthen is left-back. Jordi Alba has aged and he has not exactly aged well. The Spaniard has been highly inconsistent over the last few years. While the former Valencia man has always been brilliant when it comes to attacking moves forward, he isn’t that good when it comes to stopping La Liga or European wingers who are young and quick. It’s absolutely understandable given the fact that he’s provided a lot of service to the club over the years and now he has simply aged.
The club had signed Junior Firpo from Real Betis a year ago but he also looks to not be in Ronald Koeman’s plans. The signing was hyped a lot as he showed potential at Betis but ever since he arrived at the Nou Camp, his performance has dropped to such a level that he is having trouble beating a very old Jordi Alba to the starting lineup. The La Liga giants have been linked to Valencia’s Jose Gaya for a transfer this summer which is likely to happen. The left-back is young, vibrant, and entering his prime years. He will be the ideal left-back for Barca if they are to make a statement of intent next season.
The left-back position at the club is fragile, it needs to stay solid.
#2 Wingers
The current Barcelona team has Ousmane Dembele as one of their wingers. They also have Ansu Fati but he suffered a major injury. Antoine Griezmann is likely to be on his way out this summer in order to free up wages. The club signed Memphis Depay from Olympic Lyon but he will probably be operating as a forward. Lionel Messi can play as a winger but he has shifted towards the central areas of the pitch so he can make more plays.
Dembele has not lived up to the hype yet. He was signed for 110 million euros and so far, he’s not had even one world-class season. Injuries and inconsistency have completely made the player stale. A move away for him would be good while a new winger at the club would be completely ideal.
The Catalans have been heavily linked to Saul Niguez who may be involved in an exchange deal with Antoine Griezmann. That way Griezmann gets to return to the Wanda Metropolitano and Saul Niguez gets a fresh start at a club that can use him as a winger and an attacking midfielder, whereas Diego Simeone has been using him as a left-back.
However, Ousmane Dembele is one of Koeman’s favorite players. He loves the winger and vowed to focus on his fitness and improvement ever since he arrived at the club. So the Frenchman will probably get another season at the Nou Camp.
#1 Centre forward
Barcelona signed Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero on a free transfer in the summer. They also landed Olympic Lyon’s Memphis Depay. They have Martin Brathwaite too at the club. However, none of them are ideal replacements to their legendary and iconic striker Luis Suarez.
Sergio Aguero is currently 33 years of age and has shown no signs of brilliance recently. He looks unfit on the pitch, unable to press and unable to run for 90 minutes as it looks like old age has finally caught up to the Argentine.
Depay is a massive signing for the club but it doesn’t match what Luis Suarez brought to the table. A major figure like Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandowski, or Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane would probably be a more ideal replacement to Luis Suarez.
While Aguero is a legend and is one of the greatest players of all time, it does not look like he still has it in him to perform at a top-flight level. He could not even make the starting lineup over Lautaro Martinez for Argentina.
In order for Barcelona to succeed, they need a major figure upfront. A center forward that can finish all their chances on a regular basis throughout a whole league season and in cup competitions. Currently, Harry Kane or Robert Lewandowski would be perfect as potential investments; while for the future, Erling Haaland would be perfect.
In the last season, Barcelona created so many chances, they kept hold of the ball for so much of the game, yet they regularly took losses and draws. It clearly showed the lack of a finisher up front who can bury chances.
A center-forward is equally needed at the club just like a center-back, right-back, and left-back. A team is needed to be built, a team that can function in unity and not one that performs in such a scrappy and untidy manner like they did last season.
Which position do you think Barca needs the most improvement in?