A Progress Report on Barcelona's Squad Entering March International Break
Barcelona are enjoying their best form of the season as we approach the business end, when the fight for silverware intensifies.
Luis Enrique has dispensed with his pre-Christmas rotation policy, and it's paid dividends since the loss to Real Sociedad at the very beginning of 2015.
The international break provides some respite from club endeavours and is a perfect time to run the rule over the squad to this point.
Let's look at the progress report of each member of Barca's first-team squad.
Goalkeepers
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Claudio Bravo
Still enjoying a stellar first season in Blaugrana, Claudio Bravo is one of the unsung heroes of the side.
A safe pair of hands who has stepped seamlessly into the role vacated by Victor Valdes, the captain of Chile is nailed on to win the Zamora award for conceding the least amount of goals in La Liga.
We haven't yet seen a weakness to his game, with his distribution particularly impressive.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen
After a shaky start to his Barca career, and despite only playing in the various cup competitions, the young German has proved himself a more than able understudy to Bravo.
His concentration levels have been immaculate, given that Ter Stegen had little to do in many of the games from earlier in the season.
Think of the last-minute save against APOEL after being untroubled in the previous 89 minutes by way of example.
The penalty save from Sergio Aguero in the Champions League tie against Manchester City will have given the youngster a huge confidence boost as we move toward the biggest assignments of his campaign.
Right-Backs
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Dani Alves
Dani Alves still remains the right-back of choice despite his advancing years.
At 31, the Brazilian is showing no signs of slowing down, and while his intensity levels haven't dropped, his crossing ability has suffered.
Just three assists in La Liga isn't what we have come to expect from the Brazilian.
A fine ball for Luis Suarez in El Clasico is his most recent, the 3-0 win over Eibar in mid-October is another. His assist against Granada was worth the gate money alone, a fine volley for Lionel Messi to head home.
However, there is still no one better in the marauding full-back role that fits Barca's style of play, even if 11 yellow cards and one red, per WhoScored.com, shows a lack of discipline creeping in.
His future at the cub remains in doubt, with Simon Jones of the Daily Mail among those to note Paris Saint-Germain's interest.
Martin Montoya
It seemed for a time that Martin Montoya would leave Barcelona, initially in the summer transfer window and latterly during January.
A move never did come to fruition, so Montoya has had to be content with fighting for his place at Camp Nou.
Fight doesn't appear to be in his vocabulary, however, and just eight games so far this season show that the youngster has got some serious work to do if he wants to force his way past Alves and become the club's first-choice right-back.
Reasonably accomplished when defending, Montoya is far too reticent when going forward, and chances have often gone begging because of his hesitation at crucial moments.
Douglas
The signing of Douglas always appeared to be nothing more than a panic buy at the time.
Nothing has happened to change anyone's mind, with the Brazilian so far out of the first-team picture it's embarrassing.
Left-Backs
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Jordi Alba
Jordi Alba continues to excel and excite in the left-back role.
Alba has played a full part in all but five of the games he has been involved in this season, and he is as much needed for his supplementary attacking prowess as his defensive duties.
We often see the left-back scampering down the touchline and in position for an assist one minute and back in his own penalty box the next. Alba's fitness levels are astonishing.
He provided a great assist for Luis Suarez to score against Manchester City, and his pass accuracy of 87 per cent this season, via Squawka, places him in the top bracket.
Adriano Correia
Adriano continues to be a more than able deputy for Alba, a real Mr Dependable.
He has been involved in 18 matches in all competitions over the course of the season but has only featured for the full 90 minutes in six of them, per WhoScored.
A player who can be relied upon to produce a steady game in a number of positions.
Centre-Backs
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Gerard Pique
Gerard Pique has been absolutely crucial to Barca's run of good from since the turn of the year. He is now, without question, a fixture in Luis Enrique's back four.
Perhaps taking his eye off of the ball earlier in the campaign led to him being removed from the firing line—the shots of Pique on the bench against Levante earlier in the campaign were particularly pertinent.
No longer a first choice, Pique clearly had to step up. And step up he has. His renaissance has been nothing short of magnificent.
Six goals is a superb return for a central defender, and there are no question marks over his form at this time. His is the first name from the back four on the teamsheet.
Jeremy Mathieu
Other than Javier Mascherano, Jeremy Mathieu has been the partner of choice for Gerard Pique.
The Frenchman has been steady throughout the season and has essentially done exactly what he was bought for.
A strong, physical presence and dominant aerially, Mathieu is the player Barcelona have lacked post-Carles Puyol's retirement.
To that end, and despite his age, his purchase was necessary and a well-managed use of transfer funds. He has never looked uncomfortable and out of place when called upon and is likely to be vital in the run-in.
Marc Bartra
Like Martin Montoya, young Marc Bartra is still finding it almost impossible to break into the first team on anything like a regular basis. The question is why?
It can't be on form. Whenever he has played, Bartra has performed well.
Were it not for Lionel Messi's hat-trick, then Bartra would've been a clear man of the match against Levante in February.
Decisive, quick, strong and with his best years still ahead of him, the youngster is a perfect accompaniment to Pique.
Thomas Vermaelen
Nothing to see here. Move along.
Defensive Midfielders
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Sergio Busquets
In a recent article by Sid Lowe of the Guardian, we were reminded that Xavi Hernandez refers to Sergio Busquets as the "snow plough"—the player who sweeps everything up with ease.
A vital cog in the Barca wheel, Busquets' level hasn't dropped at all during the current campaign. Of the players with an equal or slightly better pass completion rate this season, only Javier Mascherano, with a similar 91 per cent, can compare.
Xavi and Sergi Roberto, with 93 per cent, haven't played anywhere near the same number of games, so their stats, via Squawka, are a little misleading.
A recent injury, picked up in the Copa del Rey semi-final against Villarreal, might've had much worse consequences than a fortnight on the sidelines. Barca will be ecstatic to have Busquets back for the most important games of the campaign.
Javier Mascherano
So accomplished has Javier Mascherano become in central defence that it's easy to forget that his natural habitat is a little further forward in defensive midfield.
Back home as a result of Busquets' injury, El Jefecito has slipped seamlessly back into the role, providing vision, accuracy and the highest levels of application.
Sergi Samper
Sergi Samper hasn't featured since a 14-minute cameo against Elche in January, which was only his second appearance of the season after a fine debut in the Champions League win over APOEL.
Attacking Midfielders
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Andres Iniesta
El Ilusionista isn't having the best of times in the league at present. Astonishingly, he is still without a goal or assist in the top flight this season.
An injury earlier in the season aside, Iniesta continues to feature in all of the marquee matches. He hasn't really put a foot wrong, and his dancing twinkle toes are still able to get the better of even the best exponents.
He just needs to add a strike or two to this season's resume.
Xavi Hernandez
Aside from the match against Rayo Vallecano, Xavi has only played alongside Iniesta for 11 minutes in 2015, per David Boti of Sport—a startling statistic.
Only nine full first-team appearances is unbecoming for a player of Xavi's stature. Barca's record appearance holder deserves better than that.
With performances such as the one against Rayo, he has shown that he still has the enviable ability to dictate the pace of a game. His passing numbers remain the best in the side at 93 per cent accuracy for over 1,100 passes, per Squawka.
Ivan Rakitic
Ivan Rakitic scored the goal that eventually saw off Manchester City in the Champions League and was excellent in both legs against the English side.
Another goal plus two assists in his last five matches are signs of his growing influence.
Regardless of whether Xavi leaves the club, the Croatian should now be considered a regular for Barca's midfield.
Rafinha Alcantara
It has been a breakthrough season for Rafinha Alcantara, and his cause has no doubt been helped by his association with Luis Enrique while at Celta Vigo.
Combative and competitive with boundless energy and skill, Barca have needed a player with his particular skill set for years.
The youngster has only made sporadic appearances so far but will play an important role going forward. Of the fringe players in the squad, he's potentially the most likely to get himself a regular starting berth.
Sergi Roberto
Sergi Roberto has only managed three full 90-minute appearances all season but hasn't let anyone down when called upon.
One of the better players in the recent 2-0 win against Eibar, Roberto looks comfortable in possession and an asset to the Barca midfield when he plays. He needs games.
Wingers
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Lionel Messi
Is Lionel Messi a winger? Is he a striker? Or his he a playmaker or an attacking midfielder?
The fact he is all of those is precisely what makes him the most unbelievable player of his generation.
Luis Enrique has chosen to station him back on the right side this season, allowing him the freedom to go about his business as he sees fit.
It's worked out beautifully, with so many of Barca's goals that are not scored by Messi being scored from one of his raking cross-field passes—his ball to Neymar against Villarreal in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final springs to mind.
With the season still unfolding, Messi's excellence shows no sign of abating.
Since the loss to Real Sociedad at the turn of the year, Messi has scored 20 goals, assisted 10 more and been man of the match 14 times in 18 games, per WhoScored.
World class.
Neymar
The real success story of the season.
There has been a complete change from the player we saw in his debut season. Neymar's contributions have been consistent, and his partnership with Messi has been telepathic at times.
Two goals against Villarreal in the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg saw off the challenge of the Yellow Submarine, and he remains second only to the Argentinian in terms of goals scored.
Extremely positive in possession, his driving and direct runs at the heart of the opposition defence have merely accentuated the maturity in the Brazilian's all-round game. For example, when was the last time we saw any showboating?
He showed against Manchester City that he has what it takes to be a success at the very highest level and will surely relish the final couple of months of the campaign and the chance to get his hands on the first meaningful piece of silverware since his arrival in Catalonia.
Pedro Rodriguez
The fall guy since the signing of Luis Suarez, Pedro Rodriguez has still been involved in a lot of matches this season but only played the full 90 minutes eight times, per WhoScored.
Six goals highlights a lack of confidence for a player who was a regular in the team and at the top of his game just two seasons ago.
One goal since mid-January, against Athletic Bilbao, clearly isn't good enough for the club or the player.
Jamie Sanderson of Metro notes that Arsenal are now making moves because Pedro supposedly wants to try his luck in the Premier League.
Strikers
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Luis Suarez is coming into his own as we approach the final few months of the season.
Enjoying his best period in Blaugrana just before the international break, Suarez has scored seven and assisted one in the last month, per WhoScored.
His scissor-kick goal against Levante remains a particular highlight, although the way he finished both his goals against Manchester City and the winner against Real Madrid reminded us of the Suarez we saw at Liverpool.
His industry in the centre-forward role has arguably meant there has been more freedom in the channels for both Messi and Neymar, while an intelligent use of space has underscored his performances.
Watch how he makes way for Messi to cross for Ivan Rakitic against City in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16. The goal doesn't happen without Suarez's movement pulling the defence apart.
That's one of the little details that perhaps goes unnoticed by many but are certainly appreciated by team-mates and management.
Debunking the myth that he couldn't play alongside Messi and Neymar in a cohesive unit has probably been his biggest success so far.
Munir El Haddadi
Munir El Haddadi hasn't featured in the league since the first half against Real Sociedad. A summer loan move away from the club seems the most likely scenario for a player who has gone backward since his stunning debut against Elche in the opening match of the campaign.
Sandro Ramirez
We need to go back to October for Sandro Ramirez's last La Liga action. Ramirez is another youngster who will probably benefit from first-team action elsewhere in the interim.
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