Why Jeremy Mathieu Is the Unsung Hero for Barcelona so Far in the 2014/15 Season

There is no denying the importance of Lionel Messi and Neymar at Barcelona this season. The attacking duo has played a role in nearly every goal for the Catalans this season and without them things could be much different at the moment.

However, there are other players who have stepped up and played a major role this season. One of those stars is new signing Jeremy Mathieu who has quietly been Barcelona’s unsung hero to this point in the season.

After making the move to Barcelona from Valencia during the summer, fans were a bit unsure of what the French center-back would bring. Early in his career he had played mostly as a left-back before moving centrally, and some were worried that he was not the defender that the Blaugrana back line needed at the time.

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That being said, Mathieu’s presence did promise a few things. He has always been an exceptionally fast defender who can pass the ball well, while also being known for his ability to make very difficult tackles when needed.

On paper, Mathieu looked like the type of player who would fit into the Barcelona system well, but the worry was justified in the fact that he is already 30 years old and past the prime of his career.

It did take the Frenchman a bit to learn the system. In friendly matches he had his moments of confusion, but quickly integrated to being Luis Enrique’s most-trusted center-back so far this season.

Mathieu has featured in seven games for the Catalans this season, putting on a brilliant display in every one. He has already learned his role in the system and has brought new defensive capabilities that are paying off big time.

To begin with, Mathieu has always been a leader. He knows how to direct the defense and put his teammates in the right positions, something that has been missing since the days of Carles Puyol’s leadership.

That ability to lead the back line has helped the defense regain its structure and has even brought out the best in Gerard Pique and Marc Bartra once again. Playing alongside Mathieu has given them someone to rely on, and that cannot be overstated.

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At the same time, Mathieu’s pure defensive ability has played a big role in this season’s success.

His pace and tackling ability have gotten Barcelona out of several tough situations already, and his passing game has helped him fit in perfectly. The defense has clearly played their best when Mathieu is in the lineup and that is something that Enrique has to notice and take advantage of.

In the seven matches that Mathieu has started, Barcelona has only conceded three goals, all of which came against PSG in an all-around poor performance for La Blaugrana.

The statistics show that Mathieu’s influence has been massive. He is already a big part of the team despite having only been in Barcelona for a few months, and some can even make the argument that he has been the strongest defender in Spain this season.

Of course Messi and Neymar have been the stars of the Camp Nou outfit. Their scoring record speaks for itself and has won a lot of games for the Catalans. But without Mathieu’s leadership in defense, several matches could have played out very differently.

Jeremy Mathieu is the unsung hero for Barcelona so far this season because he has proven himself to be a solution for a defense that has struggled so greatly in years past. He is only going to grow more comfortable in the Blaugrana system, which means fans should be excited about what is yet to come from the Frenchman.

How would you rate Jeremy Mathieu's season thus far? Has he been the unsung hero for Barcelona this season? Leave your thoughts and comments below!