Rating the Barcelona Players in Their 3-1 Victory over Malaysia

Barcelona finished off their Asian tour with a 3-1 victory over Malaysia. Several players stepped up big in a match that did not feature Lionel Messi with Cesc Fabregas being involved in all three goals.

Many players took the opportunity to make a case for their role in the Blaugrana squad, but others did not do as well as they would have liked.

In this article we will take a look at the ratings for the Barcelona players and you tell me who should start the season opener.

Remember to check out our handy rating key below.

1—Absolutely awful

2—No production whatsoever

3—Very little production

4—Worse than average

5—Average performance

6—Above average

7—Good production

8—Very high production

9—Nearly perfect performance

10—Absolute perfection

The Goalkeepers

Victor Valdes: 5/10

Valdes had very little to do throughout the entire match. However, on the only real chance Malaysia had to score, he was caught too far up and paid the price. He led the defense well but really messed up the only moment he was called into action.

Jose Pinto: 6/10

Like Valdes, Pinto had little to do. He distributed the ball strongly and led the backline of mostly young defenders but never had the opportunity to really make a key save in his time on the pitch.

The Full-Backs

Dani Alves: 7/10

The Brazilian linked up very well with Alexis Sanchez and formed a dynamic pair that the defense could not stop. Alves was able to send in several crosses and really make the defense work; however, he did not play much defense himself.

Jordi Alba: 7.5/10

Alba did much better than Alves as far as knowing when to defend and used his speed to make up for his forward's run. His linkup with Neymar caused problems all night for Malaysia and his assist to Cesc Fabregas to open up the scoring was beautiful.

Martin Montoya: 7/10

The Catalan right-back proved that he is a much more capable defender than Dani Alves by winning the ball back several times and constantly being in the right position. But his offensive play was not nearly as impressive.

Adriano: 6/10

Adriano did not play badly at all, but he also did not do much well either. His defense was solid but when he tried to go forward he gave away the ball too often. Adriano also tried to do too much in attack and wasted possession several times.

The Center-Backs

Gerard Pique: 8/10

Pique showed Barcelona fans what they have been hoping to see for a while. The Catalan defender was in command of his fellow defenders and dealt with every chance that came his way. Scoring the game’s final goal was a deserved reward for his night.

Javier Mascherano: 4/10

Unlike his defensive partner, Mascherano was far from decent on the night. He had very little to deal with in the match but always seemed to be out of position when needed. His lack of focus almost cost La Blaugrana several times.

Marc Bartra: 7/10

The Catalan defender replaced Pique late in the second half and did not miss a step. He led his fellow defenders and distributed the ball very well from the back. He never put a foot wrong and was quick to win the ball back.

Bagnack: 7/10

When the Cameroon international replaced Mascherano it was an immediate upgrade. But he proved to be a very capable ball winner and did not drift out of position the entire time he was on the pitch.

The Midfielders

Xavi: 7.5/10

Xavi was much livelier against Malaysia than he has been in recent months. His movement was great and his passing kept the rhythm going. He never had a big moment in the match, but it was the little things he did that kept the engine running.

Iniesta: 8/10

The Spaniard played a pivotal role in the first half, creating several chances and making space for the forwards. Iniesta seemed to be everywhere on the pitch and performed as a strong supporter to the forwards on the night, setting them up to shine.

Sergio Busquets: 5.5/10

Oddly, this was a rather quiet match for Busquets. He was not really needed to win back the ball and was thus pushed farther up the pitch than normal, looking somewhat uncomfortable. The Catalan did not play badly, but he hardly touched the ball.

Sergi Roberto: 6/10

Sergi Roberto came on in the second half and put on a decent display. He was not able to emulate the midfielders from the first half, but tried to do too much offensively and turned the ball over several times trying to force chances.

Jonathan Dos Santos: 7/10

The Mexican surprised most by being one of the most influential substitutes for Barcelona. He created several chances and linked up well with the forwards. He nearly scored a goal in the dying moments of the match that would have capped off an impressive night.

Alex Song: 7/10

Song did much more in his positions than Busquets. The Cameroon international was comfortable going forward but came back in defense when needed to deal with several chances.

The Wingers

Neymar: 8/10

Neymar continues to look more comfortable in the Barcelona system and the match against Malaysia was proof of that. The Brazilian linked up with the midfielders and Jordi Alba to constantly test the defense but also used movement to create space for others. His goal to take the lead back was as beautiful as it was calm.

Alexis Sanchez: 8/10

The Chilean was again the hardest-working player on the pitch. Sanchez won the ball back several times and never gave up when he lost it. He was a constant headache for the defense and set up several chances.

Cristian Tello: 6/10

Tello is still fighting for his place in the Barcelona squad but did himself no favors against Malaysia. The Catalan attacked well, but struggled with the final ball and was not able to finish his chances.

The Forwards

Cesc Fabregas: 9/10

Fabregas was easily the man of the match for Barcelona. He opened up the scoring with a brilliant header and assisted the other two goals on the night. He was able to change positions several times, which caught the defense off-guard during the Blaugrana attacks.

Dongou: 6/10

Dongou came on very late and was not able to really put his mark on the match. He did well to link up with other attackers but was a bit behind his teammates when in front of goal.

What do you make of Barcelona’s win? Who was the man of the match? Should Mascherano lose his starting spot? Leave your thoughts and comments below!

Tre’ Atkinson. Follow me on Twitter for more discussions on Barcelona and all Spanish football.

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