Barcelona kicked off its preseason campaign by mixing young talent with seasoned experience and turning in a mixed bag of results that has turned fans on their toes in anticipation of the coming 2024-25 season.
These Catalan giants cruised through two wins against Manchester City and arch-rivals Real Madrid but fell through against AC Milan. Despite losing, the performance by the team, especially the new talent in their midst, has been impressive as the season approaches.
The Future Looks Bright
Of many exciting things during preseason, what has marked Barcelona most has been the academy players coming through to action. Once again, their famous La Masia academy has shown its value with quite a few graduates stepping up and looking ready to make an impact in the first team.
It wasn't, however, just the youngsters that shone through. More experienced members of the squad played key roles in making sure there was a blend of both youth and experience. With Barcelona set to round off their pre-season friendlies with a game against AS Monaco on August 12, let's take a closer look at the five best performers who stood out thus far.
Top 5 Barcelona Players in the 2024-25 Pre-Season
1. Pau Victor: The Rising Star
Pau Victor's arrival at Barcelona was largely under the radar in what was a hectic window, but the 22-year-old striker has made his presence felt with some convincing performances in pre-season. Joining for €2.7 million from Girona following an impressive loan spell with Barcelona Atletic in which he scored 20 goals and provided six assists, Victor carried that form into the senior team.
In his first three games, Victor has scored three goals and created one assist for Barça, and he is certainly one of the standout performers. His clinical finishing and intelligent movement set eyeballs, and now he'll be keen to prove himself in Hansi Flick's squad with a new season fast approaching.
2. Robert Lewandowski: The Veteran Marksman
After a disappointing Euro 2024 with Poland, Robert Lewandowski returned to Barcelona with a point to prove. The veteran striker was not going to hang around in getting back to his best, scoring twice and assisting once in all Barcelona's pre-season fixtures. His double against AC Milan showcased that finisher instinct and poise in front of goal.
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In his 95 appearances, Lewandowski has managed to score 59 and assist 17 for Barcelona. Therefore, the Polish striker will once more be the most visible figure in the club's chase for the title of La Liga. The 35-year-old will be looking to improve on those numbers of 26 goals and nine assists last season.
3. Raphinha: The Brazilian Maestro
The price tag of €58 million keeps getting vindicated by Raphinha with consummate performances for Barcelona. At the start of his third season with the club, he, once again, showed why the Brazilian winger has been touted so highly. In a solitary pre-season appearance against AC Milan, Raphinha turned provider but also brought so much chaos down the flank that he was substituted after 78 minutes.
With 20 goals and 25 assists in 87 games for Barcelona, Raphinha is due to have a critical role in their search for silverware this season. He'll be integral to any creativity and flair that Barca holds in attack.
4. Marc Casado: The Midfield Anchor
Perhaps the most exciting of the many promising defensive midfield players to have come out of La Masia, Marc Casado's performances this preseason have done nothing to dim the promise he showed. Being very composed, he sits in the middle of the park, dictates the flow of play with great ease, and breaks up opposition attacks with equal efficiency.
With five senior appearances, Casado is now vying for a more regular role in the team's starting lineup. Being likened to Barcelona's timeless legend Sergio Busquets, how Casado shapes up in his development should be interesting to follow as he stakes his claim for a more permanent position in the Whites' squad.
5. Pablo Torre: The Midfield Dynamo
One of the emerging players with immense potential in this midfield is Pablo Torre. This 21-year-old, who came from Racing Santander in 2022 for €5 million, already had 13 appearances for Barca's senior side. The pre-season cemented his good work as he was impressive during it, scoring a goal against Manchester City.
Having had an impressive loan spell at Girona last season, where he played 29 times, Torre believes he will play more for Barcelona. He has a creative spirit, vision, and can dictate play to an extent, which is what makes him quite relevant in the books of the Catalan giants, be it sticking with the first team or heading out on loan again.
With these key players in form, Barcelona will be hopeful of making a strong start to the 2024-25 campaign, as they aim to reclaim their status as one of Europe’s elite clubs. The upcoming season promises to be an exciting one for the Catalan faithful.
