Flashes of Lionel Messi magic, but his role in Ronald Koeman's Barcelona team remains unclear
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Updated 21/10/2020 at 08:41 GMT
Lionel Messi opened the scoring for the Catalans against Ferencvaros in the Champions League, but questions remain over how he fits in under the new boss.
Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring a penalty during the UEFA Champions League football match between FC Barcelona and Ferencvarosi TC at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on October 20, 2020.
Image credit: Getty Images
In so many ways, the dribble that led to the penalty award of Lionel Messi’s opening goal against Ferencvaros was extraordinary, taking on three before being felled, and yet for the Argentine it was entirely ordinary, typical of what we have all come to expect from the great man over the years. In recent weeks, though, ordinary has evaded Messi.
Until Tuesday night’s Champions League curtain raiser at the Camp Nou, Messi had played within himself so far this season. The 33-year-old is still a Barcelona player in body, forced to stay despite making public his burning desire to leave, but is he still there in spirit? On recent evidence, the answer to that question isn’t so clear.
Messi was more like his old self against Ferencvaros, though, producing the moment that cracked open the Hungarian champions and set Barca on their way to victory as well as a mazy assist for Ousmane Dembele late on. Ronald Koeman’s side will face trickier tests in this season’s Champions League, most notably next week away to Juventus, but this performance offers encouragement.
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Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring a penalty during the UEFA Champions League football match between FC Barcelona and Ferencvarosi TC at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on October 20, 2020.
Image credit: Getty Images
On paper, Messi was played through the middle with Antoine Griezmann dropped. The Frenchman publicly asked Koeman during the international break to play him as a centre forward, but failed to make much of an impression in that position against Getafe on Saturday. As has been the case since his arrival from Atletico Madrid, it’s not clear what Griezmann’s role is in this Barcelona team.
The same be said of Messi. The Argentine has played predominantly on the right side under Koeman, albeit with the freedom to drift inside and wherever he sees space to exploit. The problem with this is Messi offers little in the way of width. Sergino Dest could address this deficiency as the full back behind Messi, but the American has so far played on the left side following his summer switch from Ajax.
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Koeman on whether Griezmann will play in El Clasico
Koeman is wedded to the 4-2-3-1 formation, moving Barca away from the 4-3-3 formation that has moulded them since the Pep Guardiola days, but while this has suited the likes of Ansu Fati and Frenkie de Jong, with the latter far more comfortable in a midfield two alongside Sergio Busquets than he was in a midfield three last season, it leaves question marks against some others, including Griezmann and Messi.
Ansu already has four goals in five games for Barcelona this season, with the 17-year-old converting a stunning volley from a De Jong pass against Ferencvaros. He is already one of Koeman’s most important players, which both speaks to his brilliance and how Barca are something of a work-in-progress right now.
Rested after his efforts for Spain over the international break, Barcelona desperately missed Ansu in the defeat to Getafe last weekend. Not only does the teenager give Koeman’s side cutting edge, he brings balance. Others around him, most notably Coutinho, play better when he’s on the pitch.
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Barcelona's Spanish forward Ansu Fati (C) celebrates with Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions League football match between FC Barcelona and Ferencvarosi TC at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on Octo
Image credit: Getty Images
The to-do list picked up by Koeman upon taking over at the Camp Nou this summer was a long one, but near the top of that list was the mission to ease Barcelona’s dependence on Messi. In this regard, Koeman’s system could succeed. While Messi is still the player who gives Barca their sharpest edge, the Catalans are now set up to win without him.
Saturday’s Clasico could set the tone of Barcelona’s whole season. Until the shock loss to Getafe, the Catalans had started the 2020/21 campaign well, taking seven points from their opening three Liga fixtures against Villarreal, Celta Vigo and Sevilla. A second straight defeat, however, would change the complexion of that start.
Barcelona have nothing to fear in Real Madrid, who also suffered their own shock defeat at home to Cadiz last Saturday, but these are two unsure of who they are at this specific time. Messi has become the embodiment of Barca’s identity uncertainty, with the Argentine’s future at the Camp Nou far from certain, unlike some of the players the Catalans announced have signed contract extensions after the win over Ferencvaros - Gerard Pique until 2024, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen until 2025 and de Jong and Clement Lenglet until 2026.
Even if Messi stays beyond next summer, what will his role for Barca be over the final years of his career? Can he still play as an out-and-out attacker? Can Barcelona continue to afford him a free role? Is he destined to become a deep-lying playmaker? For the moment, at least some of the old magic is back.
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