Fringe players have a say at Barcelona

Terrassa (Barcelona), December 15: Barcelona is a team full of stars where it's rare that fringe players get opportunities every day to script the headlines.

Often Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Andres Iniesta or Marc-Andre ter Stegen decide the matches, while others are busy doing the 'support role.'

At least, that was the case until now.

During this season, Barcelona's squad depth is being tested, but the players are responding well to the challenge.

It's most welcome that players who until recently went unnoticed, have played key role in Barca's success.

There are three that have benefited particularly because of the change of coach and system: Jordi Alba, Paco Alcacer and Thomas Vermaelen.

In the case of the full-back Alba, who's never not been a starter, two determining factors have been combined.

The departure of Luis Enrique, a coach who he didn't get on with and didn't feel important under, and Neymar leaving, have allowed Alba to have more importance in the squad.

The performance of Alba during this campaign is reminiscent of his best years. The 28-year-old has a presence in attack that we've not seen for a long while, and those arrivals are proving especially profitable for Messi, with whom the Spaniard works wonderfully.

Iniciamos mi primer Campus de Navidad,os esperamos.https://t.co/A0KtrUMFQm
Instalaciones GoaGol indoor. pic.twitter.com/qF2p8zIXco

— Jordi Alba (@JordiAlba) October 31, 2017

Alcacer was almost a forgotten player in Valverde's initial scheme of things, but everything changed in October.

He reclaimed prominence in the first XI after his appearance in the cup against Real Murcia, and a double in the victory against Sevilla.

It was then that the Txingurri realised that the striker should be given more minutes.

The latest example was last Sunday's La Liga tie against Villarreal, where he was also decisive in the win.

Vermaelen, for his part, has found this situation by chance. The injuries to Umtiti and Mascherano have caused the Belgian to enter the eleven when he thought it was impossible.

He has played five consecutive games, something he hadn't managed since his time at Arsenal, and is giving a reasonable return. Now he only needs the injuries to respect him.

Vermaelen, Alcacer and Alba should serve as inspiration to other fringe players who haven't taken a step forward this season.

Players who have contributed some flashes of quality at specific moments, but who will need to be more regular in their performance.

This is the case for people like Gerard Deulofeu, Denis Suarez, Andre Gomes and Aleix Vidal.

All of them have had opportunities but have not managed to become fixtures in the eyes of their coach.

Of this group, it's perhaps Denis Suarez who has given the best performances so far, but even so, he still hasn't convinced his coach.

Deulofeu, like Aleix Vidal and Andre Gomes, are still far from what is expected of them.