Revisiting Barcelona's last Xl before Lionel Messi's first-team debut, 2004
Lionel Messi may have left Barcelona to spend the 2021-22 season winning Ligue 1 with PSG, but he remains Barca's defining player of the modern era - so much so that it's hard to tell. remembering a moment before the huge impact he had on the club.
But such an era did exist, it ended when Messi made his first appearance in the Blaugrana shirt on October 16, 2004.
Barcelona's last game before the official start of the Messi era was a 1-0 win over CD Numancia a few weeks before his debut and we've taken a look at that XL.
GK: Victor ValdesAfter coming through the Barcelona academy, Valdes managed to cement his position as the club's first-choice goalkeeper ahead of Messi's debut.
He made 43 appearances in all competitions in 2004-05 and won his first Zamora Trophy, awarded to the goalkeeper with the lowest goals-to-games ratio in La Liga.
DD: Juliano BellettiBelletti joined Barcelona from Villarreal in 2004 and was immediately impressed by a young Lionel Messi during a training session.
"When Messi came out of the B team, Frank Rijkaard put him with us in an 11v11 on a small pitch," Belletti told ESPN in April 2020.
"He was in the substitute squad and I was with the starters. Iniesta caught my eye and asked if I knew him. I said no and he warned me: 'Be careful, huh."
"When he first got into the ball, I thought, 'Damn!' This kid is cheeky." Then when I was getting ready to approach him and take the ball from him, he m had already overtaken and scored a goal. He went right through me."
The right-back scored the winning goal in the 2006 Champions League final but was sold to Chelsea 12 months later.
CB: Rafael MarquezMarquez had signed for Barcelona the previous season and the defender quickly became aware of the hype around Messi.
"We were already hearing about Leo in the locker room," Marquez told Fox Sports in 2019.
“[We heard he] was hitting it at Barcelona B and he was the new [Diego] Maradona. It was spectacular to watch him grow so close."
The Mexico international played alongside Messi for six seasons before being released from his contract in 2010.
CB: Carles PuyolPuyol was named club captain ahead of the 2004-05 season and made 45 appearances in all competitions, leading Barcelona to the La Liga title.
The Spanish international remained ubiquitous at the heart of their defense until his retirement in 2014.
LB: Giovanni van BronckhorstVan Bronckhorst was a fixture at left-back during his four years at Barcelona and regularly clashed with Messi in training.
"He was a young player joining the Barcelona team and I thought, 'I've never seen this. It was so special to see such talent at such a young age,' Van Bronckhorst told Sky Sports' Fantasy Football Club in 2017.
"When he entered the first team, he made fun of everyone with his football. He could do everything. One of the best players who ever played this game."
He is now manager of Rangers and guided his side to the Europa League final last season.
CM: XaviIn October 2004, Xavi had long established himself as a key man for Barcelona and had recently made his 250th appearance for the club.
He would go on to establish himself as one of the best midfielders of his generation, winning four Champions League titles alongside Messi before joining Al Sadd in 2015.
He is now back at Camp Nou as manager and probably wishes he had Messi to call on.
READ:
Lionel Messi may have left Barcelona to spend the 2021-22 season winning Ligue 1 with PSG, but he remains Barca's defining player of the modern era - so much so that it's hard to tell. remembering a moment before the huge impact he had on the club.
But such an era did exist, it ended when Messi made his first appearance in the Blaugrana shirt on October 16, 2004.
Barcelona's last game before the official start of the Messi era was a 1-0 win over CD Numancia a few weeks before his debut and we've taken a look at that XL.
GK: Victor ValdesAfter coming through the Barcelona academy, Valdes managed to cement his position as the club's first-choice goalkeeper ahead of Messi's debut.
He made 43 appearances in all competitions in 2004-05 and won his first Zamora Trophy, awarded to the goalkeeper with the lowest goals-to-games ratio in La Liga.
DD: Juliano BellettiBelletti joined Barcelona from Villarreal in 2004 and was immediately impressed by a young Lionel Messi during a training session.
"When Messi came out of the B team, Frank Rijkaard put him with us in an 11v11 on a small pitch," Belletti told ESPN in April 2020.
"He was in the substitute squad and I was with the starters. Iniesta caught my eye and asked if I knew him. I said no and he warned me: 'Be careful, huh."
"When he first got into the ball, I thought, 'Damn!' This kid is cheeky." Then when I was getting ready to approach him and take the ball from him, he m had already overtaken and scored a goal. He went right through me."
The right-back scored the winning goal in the 2006 Champions League final but was sold to Chelsea 12 months later.
CB: Rafael MarquezMarquez had signed for Barcelona the previous season and the defender quickly became aware of the hype around Messi.
"We were already hearing about Leo in the locker room," Marquez told Fox Sports in 2019.
“[We heard he] was hitting it at Barcelona B and he was the new [Diego] Maradona. It was spectacular to watch him grow so close."
The Mexico international played alongside Messi for six seasons before being released from his contract in 2010.
CB: Carles PuyolPuyol was named club captain ahead of the 2004-05 season and made 45 appearances in all competitions, leading Barcelona to the La Liga title.
The Spanish international remained ubiquitous at the heart of their defense until his retirement in 2014.
LB: Giovanni van BronckhorstVan Bronckhorst was a fixture at left-back during his four years at Barcelona and regularly clashed with Messi in training.
"He was a young player joining the Barcelona team and I thought, 'I've never seen this. It was so special to see such talent at such a young age,' Van Bronckhorst told Sky Sports' Fantasy Football Club in 2017.
"When he entered the first team, he made fun of everyone with his football. He could do everything. One of the best players who ever played this game."
He is now manager of Rangers and guided his side to the Europa League final last season.
CM: XaviIn October 2004, Xavi had long established himself as a key man for Barcelona and had recently made his 250th appearance for the club.
He would go on to establish himself as one of the best midfielders of his generation, winning four Champions League titles alongside Messi before joining Al Sadd in 2015.
He is now back at Camp Nou as manager and probably wishes he had Messi to call on.
READ:
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