FC Barcelona‘s 2019/20 season will be resuming on Saturday, 13 June 2020. The team has some of the best players in the world. Lionel Messi, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, Luis Suarez, Frenkie De Jong and others will be huge factors. Their performance will more or less decide if the team has success. But football is a team game and the less popular players will have to step. It is these underrated players that will help the stars be successful. Thus, here are three less popular players critical to Barcelona’s success in 2019/20.
Player #1: Sergi Roberto
Sergi Roberto is arguably the best unpopular player in the world. Despite not having star status, teams like Manchester City have been chasing him for years. Moreover, Barcelona has been declining all of these offers. This is because Roberto is arguably the player that fits Barcelona’s playstyle perfectly. He can play any position except GK for the team. Time and time again, his contributions have been monumental. His game-winning goal in the 6-1 win over PSG will forever be the greatest moment in the club’s history.
Roberto will get his fair share of playing time over the remaining course of the season. Roberto complements Barcelona’s stars so well that if he is performing at his best, the team overall level of play will increase leaps and bounds.
Player #2: Riqui Puig
It is arguable that if Puig had been playing more, he would be among the brightest young players in the world. But that is not the case. Puig has been a Barca B player till now and the calls for him to be a fixture in the A-team have been rising. Puig may not have the physical profile to dominate others. But his technical ability and intelligence more than make-up for it. Barcelona sorely needs a creative player outside Messi, and if Puig plays more, he could be the reason that Messi can focus on being the lethal goalscorer he is.
Player #3: Martin Braithwaite
Braithwaite, unlike Barcelona’s recent signings, did not come in with great fanfare. Many were terming his transfer to be another poor decision by the club. Since then, Braithwaite has won over fans with his high work rate and dedication to helping the team win. With Dembele out till August and Fati, not even 18, Braithwaite is the veteran winger presence Barcelona needs.
His presence on the pitch and his runs are likely to create more space and thus, more opportunities for the team to score. He could be the electric game-changing substitute and that could be critical to the team’s success.
