Ilkay Gundogan
The German had a difficult adaptation period but has never really disappointed since then. The 33-year-old is Barca's absolute best playmaker who consistently drops masterclasses week in, week out.
Just look at this crazy difference in expected assisted goals [xAG] in all competitions this season:
1. Ilkay Gundogan - 9.2
2. Lamine Yamal - 5.1
2. Raphinha - 5.1
4. Joao Cancelo - 4.7
5. Robert Lewandowski - 4.0
Gundogan actually has his best-ever assist tally in Europe's top five leagues – nine. And there are four months of the season left.
Lamine Yamal
Although Deco says the 16-year-old plays so much due to first-team injuries, the teenager proves he absolutely deserves the game time he receives.
Lamine is surely Barca's most creative attacker – it's not just about created chances but also about the ability to beat opponents on the wing and carry the ball forward from deeper positions. He fills Blaugrana's games with joy only players like Leo Messi, Ronaldinho and Neymar used to give us.
Inigo Martinez
Despite making just 12 appearances for Barcelona so far, the experienced centre-back surprisingly proves to be the best choice in his position.
One trait makes Inigo absolutely invaluable for Xavi – his ability to send quality long balls into the opposition half. The 32-year-old created multiple chances this way while also looking solid and aggressive enough at the back. When he's fit, he is a game changer.
Ferran Torres
Ferran's resurrection is truly impressive. He is possibly the Barca player with the healthiest mental state this season.
The 23-year-old has covered every position in attack this term and registered 15 goal contributions in all competitions. Goalscoring-wise, he is still far from the numbers of Kylian Mbappe or Erling Haaland, but his goal-per-game rate looks decent.
Frenkie de Jong
We almost never see the Dutchman flop in a single game. He consistently looks great and crucial to Barca's midfield.
This season, the 26-year-old is among La Liga's best players in the number of through balls and expected assists while expectedly registering plenty of progressive passes and runs.
