La Liga

Lionel Messi is looking for a transfer out of Barcelona, according to journalist Marcelo Bechler.

Friday: Beaten 8-2 by Bayern in the Champions League quarter-final

Sunday: @marcelobechler reports that Messi wants to leave the club this summer

Barcelona fans: pic.twitter.com/rQUWj7Yn4E

— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 16, 2020

If @marcelobechler says Messi is ready to leave Barcelona, then I believe him.
The biggest transfer story of our lifetime could be just around the corner 👀

— Dean Jones (@DeanJonesSoccer) August 16, 2020

Messi's current contract expires after the 2020-21 season. However, it wouldn't be surprising if he forged an exit before that after Barcelona's 8-2 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich laid bare how dysfunctional the club is on and off the pitch.

Messi might have turned 33 in June, but he could probably name his next stop, such would be the demand for his services. Although the six-time Ballon d'Or winner is on the wrong side of the aging curve, he remains capable of pulling off incredible goals.

Oh. My. Messi.

As only he could, the magician does it again. A masterclass in balance, precision, and skill puts @FCBarcelona up 3-1 on aggregate. pic.twitter.com/nKBPfu1Ywi

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) August 8, 2020

The Athletic's Adam Crafton wrote that match analysis from a 2017 El Clasico showed how Messi was being more economical with his movement:

"In the presentation, they focused on a match between Barcelona and Real Madrid in 2017, when Messi walked for 83 per cent of the five miles he covered in the game. Traditionally, football coaches would consider this to be inadequate from a leading player but using Metrica data, Fernandez and Bornn were able to demonstrate how Messi identified 'high-value locations' to create possibilities for Barcelona. Bobby Gardiner, a data scientist at a leading European club, wrote an article interpreting the research and concluded that 'in 66 per cent of the moments Messi won control of valuable space, he was walking. Even while strolling, he is helping his team by holding ground in valuable areas, waiting for the ball to come to him.'"

Even assuming Messi is past his prime, his time as a world-class footballer isn't over.

Losing Messi would obviously be a devastating blow to Barcelona, both in terms of the playing squad and what it would mean on a symbolic level. The Argentine star has spent his entire professional career in Catalonia. His transfer would represent a significant rebuke as to where he believes the club to be.

To some extent, selling Messi on might be the kind of shock to the system Barcelona requires to make meaningful changes.

"Coaches and players follow one another, but it has been several years since we have been able to be competitive on a European level," Gerard Pique told reporters after the Bayern defeat. "... The club needs changes. And I'm not talking at the level of the coach or the players, but structurally the club needs changes of all kinds. We must bring in new blood to change this dynamic, and if necessary, I would be the first to leave."

The 8-2 thrashing at hands of Bayern follows a 4-0 loss to Liverpool in the second leg of last year's quarterfinals and a 3-0 collapse at the hands of Roma in the second leg of the 2017-18 quarters.

In recent seasons, Barcelona remained near the top of La Liga thanks in large part to Messi's presence. Their reliance on him then gets exposed in the Champions League.

As long as he remains at the Camp Nou, the problem might persist.

Barcelona reportedly have chosen to fire manager Quique Setien following the club's 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals on Friday, per Fabrizio Romano of Sky Sports. 

Setien, who replaced Ernesto Valverde in January, went 16-4-5 leading Barcelona, who finished second to Real Madrid in La Liga this season. The 61-year-old has been a manager for 20 years and most recently led Real Betis from 2017-2019.

Setien acknowledged that he may no longer lead Barcelona in a post-match conversation with reporters, per Joe Prince-Wright of NBC Sports:

"You have to think always that the future will be better, that you can improve the image we showed today, above all thinking of the future. I think that right now it's too soon to be talking about whether I stay at the club or not. The reality is that it doesn't depend on me. It's worth all of us working out what's important and considering a wide range of things which correspond to a defeat of this importance and which is so painful."

The score was tied at one after seven minutes, but Bayern scored three goals in a 10-minute stretch to take a 4-1 lead in the 31st minute. Luis Suarez got one back to pull Barcelona within 4-2, but Bayern Munich closed with four goals, including three in the final eight minutes before added time.

Thomas Muller and Philippe Coutinho each scored twice for Bayern Munich, who will play either Manchester City or Lyon in the semifinals.

Real Madrid and Barcelona feel like two clubs in very different places right now.

The former, newly crowned La Liga champions, put together an astonishing 10-game win streak to lift the trophy with a game to spare, have a deep crop of talented young players and a manager with a clear plan of how to utilise them.

The latter...well, captain Lionel Messi has described the team's performances as "erratic and weak," the average age of the squad is a concern, the playing style is confused and the fans are seething.

How has it come to this, given Barca were crowned European champions as recently as 2015, with Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez representing football's golden trident at the time? Since then, Real Madrid have won four UEFA Champions League titles and have just dethroned their rivals in La Liga. 

A look into their transfer business since the summer of 2015 paints a picture. We took every deal from that moment to now and formed a top 10, judging by the price paid vs. what each club has got from the player, but also, crucially, leaving room for some projection too—particularly in the more recent deals.

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10. Mateo Kovacic, Real Madrid

€38 million from Inter Milan, 2015

If you're thinking a player who cost €38 million and never topped 20 La Liga starts for Real Madrid is a weak place to begin this list, you're probably right. But the truth is, both clubs (and in particular Barcelona) have wasted serious money over the past five years.

A glance down the transfer lists flags about 12 decent deals, and Kovacic just about beats out the solid, steady but mostly unspectacular Clement Lenglet for 10th.

Kovacic didn't play as much as he'd have liked to, but his issue at Madrid was that he was competing with Toni Kroos and Luka Modric for a place in the starting XI. He would often be rolled out with the "B" squad for La Liga games when the Champions League took focus; he also played the odd European tie and acquitted himself perfectly fine.

        

9. Arthur, Barcelona

€31 million from Gremio, 2018

Without wishing to dampen the spirit of football for a moment, Arthur could qualify as one of the best deals solely because of the fact Barca have sold him for €72 million just two years later. That, in 2020, is a football transfer success.

As a player, though—and that's where we'll actually judge this transfer—he has been solid: press-resistant, neat and tidy on the ball and capable of threading the needle with a pass. He didn't excel in either the defensive or attacking third but dominated the middle one at times.

Barca struggled to get the best out of him in the way Brazil and Gremio did, but he was still a dependable presence in the centre.

         

8. Eden Hazard, Real Madrid

€100 million from Chelsea, 2019

"I have surely had the worst season of my career individually," Hazard recently told France Info (h/t Goal).

That's not the tune you want to strike out of a €100 million man, but Hazard is nothing if not frank; with two problematic foot injuries haunting his campaign, he made just 14 La Liga starts and managed only a single goal.

But throughout this list, we have utilised an element of projection for the newer deals or younger players, and it would be unfair not to do the same for Hazard. With that in mind, and with memories of his dovetailing with Karim Benzema beautifully post-lockdown, you can only see good things ahead (fitness permitting).

It ranks low in the list because €100 million is a lot of money, and he's 29 with a propensity to get hurt. But at top form, he's the sort of player who's worth that sum, and good fitness should pave the way for a devastating second season.

     

7. Rodrygo, Real Madrid

€45 million from Santos, 2019

"Madrid will sign the best again when the situation changes," president Florentino Perez told El Transistor (h/t ESPN) last week, confirming no major signings will be made in 2020.

The coronavirus pandemic has played a big part in that decision, but so will the fact that Madrid have a glut of superb young players coming through who can make an impact in lieu of new arrivals. Rodrygo is one of many, but crucially for him, he plays in one of the few weak positions Los Blancos have: right wing.

He's flashed quality over the course of 2019-20, bagging a perfect hat-trick against Galatasaray and scoring in four separate other games. He's technically very clean, cuts inside on to his left foot well but can also go the other way and has an assertiveness and decisiveness to his playing style.

With the Gareth Bale situation a big question mark, Rodrygo has the chance to nail down a spot in the starting XI over the rest of 2020 and grow into something special.

         

6. Frenkie de Jong, Barcelona

€75 million from Ajax, 2019

It's impossible to escape the feeling Frenkie de Jong hasn't shown his best form for Barcelona.

It's also impossible to escape the feeling that his form is coming, and that this transfer will pay dividends in the years to come.

We've seen him sparkle in games, feeding Lionel Messi the ball and ghosting through tackles; we've also seen him deployed in wider positions and struggle to find his rhythm. The likelihood is his Barca career will settle down when the club and managerial situations settle down, and he'll show his old Ajax form in Blaugrana colours.

De Jong looked made for Barca before he arrived, and what he's managed in season one hasn't changed that assertion.

        

5. Samuel Umtiti, Barcelona

€25 million from Lyon, 2016

In a truly shocking run from 2015 to 2018, every transfer Barca struck was at best OK, if not pretty poor, with the exception of one: Umtiti for €25 million in 2016.

That summer, he went to UEFA Euro 2016 with France, stepping in during the knockout stages to win his first cap against Iceland and then keeping his place for the Germany and Portugal games. Barcelona were likely sat there smiling; they had secured his signature just days before his international debut got everyone talking.

For two years, he was a rock at the back alongside Gerard Pique, looking every bit the complete centre-back. Things have been tougher of late, with injuries hampering his momentum to the point that 2020 performances have actually looked quite poor. But considering what they have already got from him, plus his cheap price, Umtiti (26) is a success story who could yet rediscover his top level in the future.

         

4. Ferland Mendy, Real Madrid

€48 million from Lyon, 2019

It can't be easy arriving at Real Madrid as a €48 million specialist left-back and introducing yourself to Marcelo—the man who has held the position for a decade and has more trophies to show for it than a single room could house.

But Ferland Mendy (with the help of a few Marcelo injuries) has clocked more than 20 starts at left-back this season and has been picked for some big games. Manager Zinedine Zidane appears to value his more secure, defensively conscious style.

He mixes a mindful defensive game with a strong attacking one, boasting the recovery pace (and mentality) to impact in every phase. Left-footers like that are rare; Real Madrid have a gem.

            

3. Vinicius Junior, Real Madrid

€45 million from Flamengo, 2018

Madrid's decision to drop €45 million on a 16-year-old from Brazil raised eyebrows across the globe, but they had come to the same conclusion anyone else does after seeing him kick a ball for five minutes: the kid is destined for greatness.

He's been integrated slowly at the Bernabeu, coming in for spells and then stepping aside, with only one major issue arising during his first year or so in Spain. He struggled to compose himself at the end of his majestic dribbles, often skewing shots or making the wrong decision.

In 2020, he's made big strides in this area—the disallowed goal at the end of the recent win over Villarreal, where Vinicius beat five players from the corner flag to tee up Marco Asensio, stands as evidence of this—and when it finally, fully clicks, Madrid will have a world-class winger on their hands.

               

2. Thibaut Courtois, Real Madrid

€35 million from Chelsea, 2018

Fresh off the back of a stellar performance at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Madrid snagged Courtois for just €35 million as he only had a year left on his contract at Chelsea.

His first season was pretty bumpy, and the presence of Keylor Navas—a man who had won four Champions Leagues in five years—vying with him for the spot between the sticks complicated matters.

This term, we've seen Courtois at his best, though. With Navas gone, and the defence improved, things were always going to get better, but the big Belgian has produced some sensational individual performances and saves that have visibly contributed to results and their title win.

At peak level, he is one of the five best goalkeepers in the world, and the price tags for the others in that bracket, like Alisson Becker and Jan Oblak, seem to range from around €70 million to €100 million. Courtois for half that lower figure is a steal.

        

1. Marco Asensio, Real Madrid

€3.5 million from Mallorca, 2015

Real Madrid have dominated this list as they've steadily signed excellent players and prospects over the past five years, but the common theme is they have tended to pay a lot.

Aside from Marco Asensio and his paltry €3.5 million fee, the average price of the Madrid players in this list is €45.5 million. Just one of those deals would shatter most clubs' transfer records, and they have made six transfers of that ilk.

But Asensio is different—a rare bargain find for a club accustomed to paying top dollar.

It can be argued an ACL tear last summer is the only reason he hasn't forced his way into Zidane's starting XI on a permanent basis. And now he's back to fitness, he's impressing greatly.

His combination of rapier-like speed, directness, crossing and shooting make him so difficult to deal with; he's willing to take the ball and try to make the difference over and over.

In terms of money spent vs. returns and player potential, Asensio is the clear No. 1 in this list, representing one of the great bargains of the past decade.

Lionel Messi is planning to leave Barcelona when his contract expires in 2021, according to Manu Carreno of Cadena Ser (via Santi Gimenez of AS).

The superstar has apparently halted all talks with the club about renewing his contract after initial discussions appeared to be going well between his father and Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

Among the reported concerns from Messi, he believes "certain sections of the club always blame him for everything that goes wrong at the Camp Nou," per Gimenez.

According to Moises Llorens and Sam Marsden of ESPN, Messi felt he was incorrectly blamed for the firing of Ernesto Valverde. After sporting director Eric Abidal indicated some unnamed players weren't happy with Valverde, Messi hit back with a message on Instagram.

"When things don't go well on the pitch, the players are the first ones to recognise as much," he wrote. "Those in the sporting department at the club should also take responsibility for their actions and decisions."

Messi has put together an incredible career at Barcelona, winning the Ballon d'Or six times. He scored his 700th career goal Tuesday in a draw against Atletico Madrid:

Messi’s 700th career goal was a panenka.

Ice cold ❄️

(via @beINSPORTS_EN)pic.twitter.com/FBM3e36P43

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 30, 2020

Even at 33, he remains an elite player with 22 goals and 17 assists in La Liga this season, leading the league in each category.

His individual production hasn't been enough to carry Barcelona, however, as the club sits four points behind Real Madrid for first place in the table.

The legend of Lionel Messi continues to grow.

The Barcelona superstar scored his 700th career goal between club and country during Barca's 2-2 draw with Atletico Madrid in La Liga at the Camp Nou on Tuesday. His 630 goals for Barcelona in 724 total appearances and 70 goals for Argentina in 138 caps are both records by a wide margin. Barca's Cesar Rodriguez (232 goals) and Argentina's Gabriel Batistuta (52 goals) are a distant second.

7⃣0⃣0⃣ goals for club & country. Leo Messi 👏👏👏#UCL | @FCBarcelona pic.twitter.com/ouDKKS7CDH

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) June 30, 2020

He is also La Liga's all-time leading scorer, with 441 goals, and has scored 20 or more goals in league play in 12 straight seasons. Former Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo, now with Juventus, is second all-time in La Liga history with 311 tallies.

Ronaldo is the only other active player with over 700 goals for club and country.

Cristiano Ronaldo:
❍ 729 career goals
❍ 629 club
❍ 99 country

Lionel Messi:
❍ 700 career goals
❍ 630 club
❍ 70 country

We have been treated to greatness. Twice. https://t.co/TsB20nFCkT

— Squawka (@Squawka) June 30, 2020

They are in a select club of just seven players ever to have reached the milestone:

With a penalty kick, Lionel Messi joined "The 700 Club." He has scored 630 goals for Barcelona and 70 playing for Argentina. pic.twitter.com/uy942hqbv7

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 30, 2020

For over a decade, soccer fans have gotten to watch two of the greatest players in history go back and forth, scoring goals at a breakneck pace, collecting awards nearly as quickly and dominating the sport. Wherever people fall on the Messi vs. Ronaldo debate, there's little doubting the impact both have had on the sport.

But while Messi stole the headlines Tuesday, Barcelona's 2-2 draw kept it a point behind Real Madrid, with Los Blancos holding a game in hand. With just five games remaining for Barca, the Catalan side is in real danger of conceding the title to its bitter rivals.

Barcelona has won the last two La Liga titles and has been champion in eight of the past 11 seasons. Real Madrid last took home the title in the 2016-17 campaign.

On Lionel Messi's 33rd birthday, we've taken a look back through his career so far and picked out his best team-mates—with a twist.

This isn't just a list of the best 10 he's played with; it's a ranking of those he connected with on the pitch, those who formed formidable partnerships and great relationships once the white line was crossed.

David Villa, a player who enjoyed a wildly successful spell with Barcelona and combined with Messi brilliantly, just missed the top 10. That gives an indication of just how strong or entrenched the link must be to crack this list.

On the latest B/R Football Ranks podcast, the team rank the greatest moments of Leo Messi's career. Listen below and subscribe here. 

       

10. Javier Mascherano

Games together: 413 (Barcelona, 2010-18, Argentina 2005-18)

Only three players in history have clocked up more appearances alongside Messi than Mascherano, who linked up with him for both club and country. From 2010-18, no matter where he was in the world or what shirt he had on, Messi would be right there with him.

That's a luxury many may have dreamed of, but only Mascherano has experienced.

That club plus country element is a key reason as to why he features on this list. Their interactions on the pitch at Barcelona were limited due to the fact Mascherano played more centre-back than holding midfield, but on the international stage they combined to form the two most important reference points on the pitch: the midfield general and the attacking star.

Argentina's inexplicable failure to win an international trophy during Messi's career reflects poorly on many (players and managers alike), but Mascherano held up his end of the bargain, protecting a defence that has never felt strong and stabilising the middle so Messi's task at the other end wasn't insurmountable.

         

9. Jordi Alba

Games together: 290 (Barcelona, 2012-)

It's perhaps indicative of the team's current performance that the majority of this list is made up of ex-players, with Alba just one of two current colleagues featuring.

A left-back probably isn't where your mind immediately goes when considering the best connections Messi's had on the pitch, but a good number of Barcelona's most dangerous attacking moves involve these two nowadays—and what's interesting is it's often the exact same move or pattern.

Almost every single one of Alba's assists to Messi have been low balls into the box, the former understanding and anticipating the latter's movement and timing as well as any ever have. 

From 2012-16, we'd often see Alba overlap the left-winger, be fed the ball and then find Messi. From 2017 their connection has gotten even stronger, with Messi often finding Alba out wide then seeing the ball returned for a shot.

They're basically one-twos between themselves across an entire half of a pitch, against a full team.

It remains arguably Barca's most effective route to goal in 2020—outside of Messi taking matters solely into his own hands.

          

8. Ronaldinho

Games together: 80 (Barcelona, 2004-08)

More than 30 players have played more games with Messi than Ronaldinho did, whose 80 appearances alongside the Argentinian is the lowest on this list. But few can claim to have had the effect Ronaldinho did on Messi's growth and development.

The Argentinian's first senior goal was set up by Ronaldinho, who celebrated by hoisting the youngster on to his back and parading around. It was the beginning of a beautiful, symbiotic relationship on the pitch.

Messi, the book of Spanish football expert Guillem Balague, details how Ronaldinho welcomed the Argentina international into the Brazilian circle at Barca, taking on a kind of mentoring role off the pitch, while helping unlock the talent on it. Whatever he did worked a treat, as the world's best player soon blossomed, needing just a few years to reach the very top.

Ronaldinho was gone by 2008, shifted on by then-manager Pep Guardiola as he looked to remodel the team. What he left, in Messi, has served them well in his wake.

      

7. Xavi

Games together: 399 (Barcelona, 2004-15)

From 2008-2014, Barca's strongest midfield trio saw Xavi line up on the right, Andres Iniesta on the left and Sergio Busquets just behind them. They combined to dazzling effect, bringing to life the elements of "tiki-taka" so often associated with Guardiola's Barcelona and Spain's world-conquering side.

Xavi's link to Messi was naturally pretty strong, given the two would play on the same side of the pitch for seasons at a time and constantly interchange passes. When Dani Alves overlapped and Messi ducked inside, it was often Xavi who would find the No. 10 with a pass into a tight spot.

These were no regular passes; they'd be regarded by many as impossible, fired into incredibly tight areas, but Xavi's accuracy, technique and weight of pass allowed him to do it.

When Barca tried to keep the ball, effectively starving opponents of possession to lock them out of games, Xavi would orchestrate, and Messi would be a key a outlet for a one-two.

       

6. Neymar

Games together: 161 (Barcelona, 2013-17)

It's not a given that fellow illustrious technicians and mercurial dribblers mesh with Messi. We've seen plenty of examples over the years of top-tier players struggling to co-exist with him (Philippe Coutinho is a headline example, Antoine Griezmann a concern to keep an eye on), so there will have been a few nerves surrounding Neymar's integration into the team.

But the pair found their groove pretty quickly, helping each other by sharing the load up front and chipping in when the other didn't. When both were firing, teams were best off waving the white flag.

Their connection was at its best in the run to the 2015 Champions League win, with Messi playing right-wing and Neymar left. Barca built play up the right and found Messi, who would then play a pinpoint switch pass to Neymar on the other flank, most likely in a one-on-one with his marker.

Neymar blitzed teams that year, netting 39 goals and bagging 10 assists. Fittingly, a goal of this exact making occurred in the Champions League final against Juventus, cementing the connection in legend.

       

5. Pedro

Games together: 270 (Barcelona, 2008-15)

Due to the overwhelming star quality across Barcelona's squads through the years, Pedro was never regarded as a key man. But he does rank among the cleverest forwards Messi has ever played alongside, profiting greatly off the amount of space the No. 10 created as a byproduct of being so heavily attended to.

Pedro essentially resembled the Spanish version of Thomas Muller at Barca. A "raumdeuter," or "space investigator," he reacted and moved according to the space that opened as Messi weaved his magic. 

He converted these little movements and moments into just shy of 100 goals for Barca in all competitions. He also marked himself out as a man for the big stage, netting the opener in the 2011 Champions League final by pulling to the right as defenders zeroed in on Messi before receiving the Argentinian's clever pass and slotting home.

A remarkable opportunist and a cool two-footed finisher, Pedro did more for Barca than a legion of players with twice the talent because he understood how to use Messi's brilliance for his (and his team's) benefit.

       

4. Sergio Busquets

Games together: 515 (Barcelona, 2008-)

Busquets' sheer number of games played with Messi—a whopping 515—cements an automatic spot in this list, but it's the importance of their connection that necessitates such a high ranking.

There's a natural separation between Busquets and Messi on the pitch, a product of their divide in responsibilities. Despite the distance between them, it's long been the defensive midfielder's job to find the Argentinian as early and often as possible—and he's done so for more than a decade.

The best Barca sides Busquets and Messi have been part of—Pep's 2009 and 2011 variants—were famous for their tiki-taka approach and leaned heavily on Xavi and Iniesta, but Busquets' ability to thread passes through multiple lines, finding Messi from deeper positions, led to countless attacks and goals.

He utilises incredible disguise on his passes and movements, continually sending opposing defenders (and viewers' eyes) the wrong way, creating a lane to find Messi. And from there, Messi turns and wreaks havoc.

Even after all this time, more than a decade, that passing lane is continually open and often used. No one can stop it, and it remains an important tenet in the team's play.

           

3. Andres Iniesta

Games together: 489 (Barcelona, 2004-18)

Messi and Iniesta isn't the sort of iconic duo that typically springs to mind when you think about Barcelona's great partnerships of the past.

The latter's name is far more closely associated with Xavi, while Messi's goes with a litany of forwards before his midfield colleagues, but their almost unspoken-of connection on the pitch helped drive Barca to success.

They had a telepathic understanding that they maintained throughout various changes in position for both of them. Whether Messi was up top or on the right, whether Iniesta was in the centre or off the left, they found each other, played off each other and constructed for one another.

Of Barca's usual midfield three, Iniesta was the one who would break into the box more and push ahead of the ball. When doing so he'd enter Messi's territory, and the pair's link-up and interchanges were slick. One-touch passes, one-twos and through balls turned into goals.

It was automatic, beautiful and unstoppable.

       

2. Luis Suarez

Games together: 248 (Barcelona, 2014-)

We've detailed an illustrious list of forwards who have had a special bond with Messi on the pitch, but none have enjoyed themselves quite as much as Luis Suarez.

Things didn't actually start that smoothly; like with David Villa, there was a question over how the pair should be deployed together, with Suarez initially on the right-wing and Messi playing through the centre.

With everyone in agreement that a switch would work, Suarez took up the No. 9 position and never looked back. Operating in more natural roles, the two have combined for continual fireworks, scoring and assisting each other liberally.

In 2018, Suarez overtook Dani Alves' record of league assists to Messi, surpassing the figure of 26 against Valencia. That came after Messi (and Neymar) spent practically the entire 2015-16 campaign setting Suarez up for goals in order to win the Pichichi Trophy ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo. He scooped it, netting 40 in total.

Suarez's ability in tight spots, willingness to string slick moves together and dogged work rate have helped Messi in a variety of ways, and few have brought a smile to his face more often.

     

1. Dani Alves

Games together: 349 (Barcelona, 2008-2016)

Messi's connection with Alba is prominent, but he's on the opposite flank, so interactions are naturally limited to specific passages or moves that link the two.

His connection with Alves was different. Occupying the same side, or drifting wide towards him when playing centrally, the two combined countless times over a glorious eight-year period.

Alves was nominally Barcelona's right-back, but such was their dominance of territory and possession, he basically played as Barca's entire right side. He'd combine with Messi to build play up the right then hold the width as the No. 10 ducked inside, teasing balls and crosses in; one-twos in tight spaces were very common, as were Alves-to-Messi assists—there were 26 in La Liga alone.

There was another important element to their relationship too: Alves' incredible stamina. He'd often cover Messi's defensive responsibilities, burning up and down the flank all game, allowing the Argentinian to flit between sprinting and walking, saving up his juice for genius moments.

Barcelona haven't come close to the heights of 2009, 2011 and 2015 since that latter date, and there are myriad reasons for that, but Alves' slight decline and departure is among the key factors. Messi misses him, so Barca miss him.

           

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All statistics via Transfermarkt.co.uk.

While world football is slowly returning to a state of normalcy, Barcelona star Lionel Messi pondered whether the coronavirus pandemic will leave long-term consequences.

"Football, like life in general, I think will never be the same," Messi said in an interview with Spanish paper El Pais (h/t Barcelona's official site). "The return to training, competitions and what was previously done in a normal way, now will have to be started again, but progressively. It will be a strange situation for us and for anyone who has to change their usual working dynamics."

The Bundesliga returned with matches in empty stadiums in mid-May, while the Premier League is slated to resume June 17. La Liga will be back June 11, with players going through full training for the first time Monday.

As Messi alluded to, though, the shadow of the pandemic will continue to loom.

Like other leagues, La Liga will close off matches to supporters to limit the spread of COVID-19. Fox Sports has piped in audio during its Bundesliga broadcasts to make up for the absence of crowd atmosphere, but watching players celebrate in front of empty stands remains jarring.

Dortmund celebrate their win in front of their iconic Yellow Wall — even when it's empty 😅

(via @btsportfootball) pic.twitter.com/YT3IcNsKVU

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 16, 2020

While a possibility, it's not a sure thing that the pandemic will have slowed enough to allow for fans during the 2020-21 season.

More than the situation's impact on his sport, Messi spoke about the damage it has caused to society as a whole.

"All of us that have experienced this situation will remember what happened in one way or another," he said, (h/t ESPN). "In my case, it's with a feeling of sorrow and frustration for those that have suffered the most due to the loss of loved ones."

According to the World Health Organization, Spain has 239,600 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, with 29,043 people dying from the disease.

The Spanish National Sports Council announced Friday that La Liga will officially resume play on June 11 amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to ESPN. 

Like most of the world's top soccer leagues, the La Liga season has been suspended since March due to COVID-19. By resuming, it will follow in the footsteps of the Bundesliga, which returned to action two weeks ago.

Per the Guardian's Sid Lowe, the Seville derby between Sevilla and Real Betis will be La Liga's first match back June 11.

According to ESPN's Alex Kirkland, the National Sports Council released the following statement: "The Spanish football federation [RFEF] and La Liga have agreed, as part of the Contact Group formed together with the National Sports Council [CSD], the format of the eleven remaining matchdays to complete La Liga Santander and La Liga SmartBank [the first and second divisions]."

Following Sevilla against Real Betis, several other Matchday 28 games will be played between June 12 and 15, including Real Madrid vs. Eibar and Real Mallorca vs. Barcelona.

The plan is for games to be played every day for more than a month in an effort to complete the 2019-20 season by July 19.

As is the case with the Bundesliga, all matches will be played without fans in attendance. Kirkland noted that the possibility of at least some fans attending matches early next season hasn't yet been ruled out, although it depends on the progression of the pandemic.

While the schedule for the remainder of the season will be compact, teams will get at least 72 hours to rest in between matches in an effort to lessen the likelihood of injuries.

Also, clubs will begin full training sessions on June 1, giving them 10 days to get prepared before the season officially resumes.

Barcelona are atop the table with 58 points through 27 matches. They are followed closely by Real Madrid with 56 points. Sevilla are much further back in third with 47 points.

Real Madrid entertained Atletico Madrid in the league in February at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Nothing could separate the teams in the two times they had already met during the season. Twice they finished normal time scoreless (Real Madrid defeated Atletico after a penalty shootout in the previous month's Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia).

At half-time in their battle at the Bernabeu, Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane called for Vinicius Junior from the bench as part of a double substitution to try to break the deadlock. Ten minutes after coming on, the young Brazilian collected a pass close to the touchline on the left wing. After looking up a couple of times, it seemed there wasn't an option on.

Then, with the slightest dip of his shoulder, he threw his marker and threaded a pass through to Ferland Mendy, who broke behind Atletico's defence. One short pass had immediately taken three defenders out of the game. Mendy crossed to Karim Benzema who tapped in at the back post to score the match-winner. There's something special, something different, about Vinicius Junior.

"At Real Madrid, they view him as a diamond in the rough," says Jaime Rodriguez, a journalist with El Mundo. "He's like a wild animal. He obviously doesn't have the finesse, the beautiful skills, the natural talent of a Messi or a Neymar, but he has other virtues—his speed, his physique, his cheekiness. He unsettles defences. For me, he's the best dribbler—along with Neymar—that there is in the world of football.

"Here's a guy who for a period last season—when he was only 18 years of age—carried the team on his back, for example at the Camp Nou [against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey]. At Real Madrid, they're clear he's a good bet for the future, and they won't let him escape. It's not only Real Madrid who believe in his potential. He's valued in many quarters. I can prove from different sources that last year PSG would only consider negotiating for Neymar if Vinicius was included as a makeweight. He's just missing a bit of steadiness in the box."

Scoring has been a problem for Vinicius. Since joining Real Madrid's first-team squad towards the start of last season—after his move from Brazil was fast-tracked—he's only scored four goals in 37 games. 

Zidane has not always been convinced by Vinicius Junior, although he was getting into his groove—which included scoring the opening goal against Barcelona in a 2-0 win at the Bernabeu in March—when the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to Spanish football. Since Cristiano Ronaldo's departure from Real Madrid in the summer of 2018, Vinicius has been a saviour figure at the club.

"There's a refrain we use here in Spain: 'In the country of the blind, the one-eyed man is king,'" says Marco Ruiz, a journalist with Diario AS. "Vinicius stands out a lot in Real Madrid's squad for this quality. He's anarchic, but he's missing the killer touch. He has an alarming deficit when it comes to finishing. If he suddenly starts to score goals, he'll become a super player, but if he doesn't, he won't become a regular in Real Madrid's team."

Spanish football writer, Juanma Trueba, is unsure whether goalscoring is something that can be added to his armoury: "I have doubts about him. When he's in a scoring position, it's like there's a black out. He fluffs chances. It could be anxiety. When he scores, they're often flukes. 

"Goalscoring is not something you can learn. It's extremely rare that a footballer who doesn't score goals early in his career starts to score goals regularly later in his career. Aritz Aduriz [the 39-year-old Athletic Bilbao striker who retired last week] is a case, for example, but he's an exception to the rule.

"Vinicius is a player that has the favour of the Bernabeu. He excites fans. Every time he touches the ball you notice emotion welling up in the stadium. They know he's a player that creates danger. You can see he's being used as a symbol for hope. If things are going bad for the club, they have Vinicius, a young guy who can get the stadium on its feet. He's exuberant. He communicates with the terraces. It's why they love him.

"For his development, though, it would be good for him to go out on loan because when Real Madrid can call on a fully fit Eden Hazard again, there won't be much room for another player in that position on the left side of Real Madrid's attack. It would give him time to mature."

Luka Jovic is another attacking player who's seemingly at a crossroads at Real Madrid. He's only scored twice in 23 games since joining for a reported €60 million fee during the summer.

"He looks a little bit lost on the pitch," says Rodriguez, "but it's not only him—his team-mates don't look for him when they have the ball or they can't find him with a pass. He's like a Martian in Madrid's attack."

Jovic's standing at the club hit a new low in March when he was overlooked by Zidane for the Clasico matchday squad. The club's third-choice centre-forward, Mariano Diaz, got the nod over him, coming on as a substitute for Benzema in injury time (and scoring a minute after coming on).

"Jovic has been a huge disappointment," says Ruiz. "Last year, he had a really good season with Eintracht Frankfurt. He scored a lot [27 goals in 48 games], but he looks like a different player at Real Madrid. The goals have dried up. It's like the club just threw €60 million in the bin. 

"Real Madrid's problem is that it can't buy a good forward because it already has Benzema. Jovic is still only 22. He could be a great striker in the future, but he's not the centre-forward that Real Madrid need. He's not one of the top five strikers in the world. He's not even close."

Jovic's behaviour off the pitch hasn't helped. His indiscipline includes breaking the coronavirus lockdown in his native Serbia. He was caught celebrating his girlfriend's birthday on the streets of Belgrade, an indiscretion that prompted the country's president, Aleksandar Vucic, to threaten him with arrest.

There is, however, a thought—laid out in a front-page feature earlier in the week in Marca—that Jovic might benefit from a second chance. The report cited the slow start Benzema—who has also had his off-field problems—had to his career at the club. It wasn't until Benzema's third season that the Frenchman hit his stride. Trueba is sceptical, believing the comparison with Benzema doesn't stand up.

"Benzema ultimately triumphed at the club because he has a lot of quality," says Trueba. "We thought at the start that as well as having quality he was also a prolific goalscorer, but it wasn't the case. He doesn't have the ambition to be a goalscorer. He felt comfortable being a sidekick to Cristiano Ronaldo. Benzema also has the favour of the president, which facilitated his evolution. He was never questioned inside the club. It gave him confidence. He could benefit from the patience of the club's coaches.

"Sure, a player needs time before you can make a proper assessment, but in the case of Real Madrid when you see a player in the white jersey, and you see them on the pitch with the team, you know if they fit. Jovic is one of these footballers who doesn't fit at Real Madrid. He looks rigid. He lacks experience. He looks out of his depth. It was a mistake by Zidane—who pushed to get him signed. As well as not scoring, he's not connecting with madridismo [Real Madrid's fans]. People are disappointed with him. Not a single person will feel sadness if he leaves Real Madrid."

One of the 42 players on Real Madrid's books, and one of 14 on loan, who might well prosper at the club is the 21-year-old Norwegian playmaker Martin Odegaard. He's been a sensation this season at Real Sociedad, having joined the Basque club in the summer on a two-year loan deal (with the option to return to Real Madrid in the summer). He scored a winner against Mallorca in only his second game and has had a hand in 12 goals in 27 games for the club.

"Odegaard has some very good attributes," says Rodriguez. "It looks like he's got everything needed to triumph at Real Madrid if he continues his rate of progression. He can play as a No. 10, or in Luka Modric's position, closer to midfield. He can score goals. He's fast. He can dribble. He looks as if he'll succeed when he returns.

"At Real Madrid, they're thinking about bringing him back when the season finishes, but it's dependent on the departure of Modric. For Zidane, Modric is fundamental. He has a lot of respect for him. They're thinking Modric might leave this summer for Inter Milan, but it's up in the air.

"If there aren't departures this summer, it's better he stays on loan for one more year, especially after such a strange season. His season at Real Sociedad has gone well so far, but it's not finished yet. Let's see how he gets on in the last 11 games of the season. If he stays at the same level, and finishes one of the stars of La Liga, you couldn't discount Real Madrid incorporating him for next season's squad."

It hasn't been an easy road for Odegaard. He joined Real Madrid five years ago to huge fanfare. He came on as a substitute for Ronaldo in the final game of the 2014-15 season at the Bernabeu, making him the youngest league debutant in Real Madrid's history at 16 years and 157 days. Then things went awry. He spent a few years in the wilderness, including a difficult time with the team's reserves before turning a corner during two loan spells in the Netherlands with Heerenveen and Vitesse Arnhem, respectively.

The big question now relates to whether he can take the next step. Trueba thinks he's ready to come back to the Bernabeu this summer, but it's impossible to know whether he can thrive at Real Madrid until he's properly tested there. Ruiz concurs.

"Odegaard is very creative," says Ruiz. "He plays in that hole between attack and midfield. Real Madrid has a lot of players of this kind, but his timing could be good. Modric is in the final stretch of his career, so there's a space opening up in Real Madrid's squad. He'd have to compete for this place with Isco and Dani Ceballos.

"It's taken a while for Odegaard to explode. He's a player that still has to demonstrate he has it. At Real Sociedad, he's played very well, but he hasn't been under pressure. We have to see how he'll cope at Real Madrid. Until he plays regularly at the Bernabeu, we won't know if he's the top player he seems he could be." 

                 

Follow Richard on Twitter: @Richard_Fitz

La Liga announced Saturday that it has been given clearance to resume the season as soon as June 8.

Per the league's official announcement, the Spanish government gave the go-ahead to resume play following guidelines from the Ministry of Health. 

Per ESPN's Samuel Marsden, the "likely" return date for La Liga will be June 12 or 19, with an official confirmation from president Javier Tebas potentially coming on Sunday. 

La Liga suspended play on March 12, at the time announcing the hiatus would last for a minimum of two weeks. That decision came after Real Madrid chose to self-isolate after a member of the club's basketball team tested positive for COVID-19.

On March 23, the league announced it was postponed indefinitely and wouldn't resume play until it was given clearance by the Spanish government. 

La Liga wasn't alone. A number of prominent leagues around the globe, including the NBA, NHL, Premier League, Bundesliga and Serie A, among others, all suspended their seasons. In the United States, the NCAA canceled the men's and women's college basketball tournaments, while the IOC chose to postpone the 2020 Summer Olympics.

And UEFA postponed the European Championship for an entire year, while both the Champions League and Europa League were halted as well. 

That called into question whether certain leagues would continue playing at all this season, including La Liga, and how those leagues would handle the remainder of the schedule.

Ligue 1 in France and the Eredivisie in the Netherlands canceled their seasons, but the Bundesliga returned to action behind closed doors on May 16.

With La Liga instituting testing for players in early May and the Spanish government giving the league clearance to return, however, games will resume in a welcome piece of news for football fans. 

When league play does continue, a tight title race will resume as well, with Barcelona (58 points) holding a two-point advantage over Real Madrid at the top of the table.