5 Things Learned from Barcelona's 2014/15 Liga Season
Barcelona have, eventually, enjoyed the most brilliant of seasons.
Whether or not they go on to achieve the treble or even a league-and-cup double, considering the status quo at the turn of the year, the Catalans have performed spectacularly well in the second half of the campaign.
There have been many highs and a fair few lows especially in the first few months of the season, but in general terms, given the backdrop of a FIFA-imposed transfer ban, Barca fans have to be happy with how the team have performed.
Let's take a look at five things we learned from the 2014/15 season...
Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez Can Play Together
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Johan Cruyff via his column in De Telegraaf (h/t Marca) was just one of many dissenting voices when Barcelona signed Luis Suarez.
After adding Neymar to the squad during the previous season, Cruyff was convinced that Barca's front three couldn't play together:
"I can't see how Barça intends to continue playing the same way, with a keen focus on team play if Messi, Neymar and Luis Suárez are in the side. The three of them are too individual. In signing him, the club are showing a preference for individual genius over a team that plays great football.
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Dani Alves Is Almost Irreplaceable
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Oh dear Barcelona, what have you done?
Although he didn't seem to start the season particularly well, there's no doubt that Dani Alves has been one of the top performers in the side over the entirety of the campaign.
Even at his worst, Martin Montoya and Douglas couldn't edge him out of the side and now he has taken the decision to move elsewhere.
Sport have noted that the Brazilian has turned down Barca's final contract offer and will leave the club in the lurch after the Champions League final.
You can't really blame him. The board should've made his renewal a priority. That perceived lack of respect has seemingly forced Alves' hand.
There Is Life After Victor Valdes
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There was a time, post Victor Valdes, when it appeared that Jose Manuel Pinto might well be Barcelona's first-choice keeper, at 38 years of age.
Previous sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta at least got something right before he was relieved of his duties.
As a former Barca custodian himself, he must've known the importance of having a goalkeeper with the specific skill set that Barca require.
Fortunately, he managed to deliver not one, but two world-class exponents in Claudio Bravo and Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Both have performed magnificently well throughout the campaign, and are one of the many success stories this season.
Messi-Dependence Is Finished
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Although he still remains the best player in the side, Lionel Messi's absence, were it to happen, would now be more than adequately covered.
For someone who has scored 54 and assisted 23 goals, per WhoScored.com, that seems a sweeping statement to make, but there are other staff in the team now that can be decisive.
Both Luis Suarez and Neymar have stepped up to the plate in terms of goalscoring and assists.
For once, it feels as if the Catalans are not saddled by such a huge dependency on their No. 10.
Luis Enrique, Best Debut Season of Any Barcelona Manager
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After relatively unsuccessful stints at both AS Roma and Celta Vigo, it was something of a gamble by Josep Maria Bartomeu to bring Luis Enrique back to Barcelona.
However, as we've seen it was a gamble worth taking.
Even taking into account the many rotations that seem to unsettle his squad before Christmas, Lucho has had the last laugh, bringing home the La Liga title in his first season and playing a style of football anything as good as that which has gone before.
With two cup finals left to play, he is already the Barcelona manager with the best debut season in the history of the club, per FC Barcelona, in terms of games won and clean sheets achieved.
Go on and bring home the treble and he will usurp Pep Guardiola's magnificent 2008/09 campaign.
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