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Lionel Messi is Barcelona's best player, but Andres Iniesta might be their most important
Barcelona and Lionel Messi are synonymous. The Argentine owns most of the club's records, he's the face of the club and when he retires, he'll go down as their greatest ever player, if he isn't already. It goes without saying that the Blaugrana rely on him, because any team in the world would. But as their recent run of form shows, they're not Messi-dependent. They're Andres Iniesta-dependent.
Iniesta went down with a knee ligament injury in the 14th minute against Valencia on October 22nd. Barça barely pulled out a 3-2 win in that game with his replacement Ivan Rakitic in the team, but since then, they've won only three out of their next seven matches in his absence. The most telling of those losses? A 3-1 capitulation against Manchester City, where the lack of Iniesta was sorely felt.
In the first meeting with Manchester City, both Iniesta and Messi shone for the Blaugrana as they beat the Citizens, 4-0. There were some fluky happenings in that game (see: Claudio Bravo), but it was Iniesta's ability to link midfield and the attack that played a huge part in enabling Messi to be Messi. The Argentine got the ball and got it in space because of Iniesta and that made Barcelona look like a juggernaut.
In the return fixture, without Iniesta, Barcelona were picked apart. It wasn't Messi's fault, as he scored and tried s to drag them along, but Barcelona struggled all over the pitch. The Catalans' defense was exposed, but, more than anything, were unable to handle Manchester City's press high up the field. Typically, against that sort of press, Barcelona's combination of Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and whomever else is chosen to accompany them (usually Rakitic), are able to play calmly out through midfield, with Busquets the anchor, and Iniesta the maestro, and the third amigo used in a more box-to-box fashion, shuttling throughout and finding space where needed. Without Iniesta to set the pace of the game though, Barcelona struggled against City. They could break pressure or find calm. They've also continued to struggle in every match he's been out since.
Iniesta inherited Xavi's tempo-setting role when the little Catalan conductor retired. His incredible dribbling ability, range of passing and vision provides Barça's frontmen with regular ammunition, while his calming presence in possession settles the entire team and maintains their rhythm.
Like former Barcelona midfield great Xavi, his old running buddy Iniesta doesn't necessarily make the sort of noise that Neymar, Suarez and Messi do, but the reason he's so important to the team can be summed up succinctly: if he doesn't get MSN the ball, Barca don't work correctly.
With Iniesta out, it's all too common to see Messi near midfield, drifting deep to pick up the ball and then drive forward to seek out his teammates in better positions, or simply go at goal himself. It's often effective, because Messi is an otherworldly talent. But more often, as has been the case in Barcelona's recent poor run of form, it simply doesn't work out well.
It's pretty basic: Messi with the ball far away from goal is way more preferable to Messi close to goal. And Iniesta is the one who gets him close to goal.
Lionel Messi is still Lionel Messi, and his 18 goals on the season have rescued his team time and again, with and without Iniesta. But as Messi has stayed consistent, Barça's form as a whole has seen a distinct downturn in the little Spaniard's absence. Whereas Suarez and Neymar can carry any attack, even if they're no Messi, the same isn't true of Iniesta stand-ins Rakitic, Andre Gomes, and Denis Suarez. They're all capable; but they simply no Iniesta and the much-heralded trio in front of them suffer as a result.
There's good news for Barcelona though. Iniesta's been deemed fit to be included in the squad against Real Madrid, and there's even a chance the 32-year-old may play from the start as Barcelona host the Merengues in desperate need of a win. They're six points back and facing a nine-point deficit. It's no insurmountable, but it's scary. They need all hands on deck to handle the vaunted Merengues, and that means Iniesta.
If Iniesta can play, they might just find their best form again. And they might just beat Real Madrid.
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