Ranked: Barcelona poll for player of the season and it's not Lionel Messi - in pictures
Argentine is beaten to top spot, while some big-money stars clearly failed to impress
July 19, 2020
Finishing runners-up in La Liga is considered a terrible result at Barcelona, particularly when the winners are bitter rivals Real Madrid.
La Liga finishes on Sunday, and the gap at the top is a big seven points going into the final fixtures.
The disappointing end to the season - Barca were top coming out of lockdown - has prompted some harsh words from superstar Lionel Messi.
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Coach Quique Setien says his side still have what it takes to win this season's Champions League despite their dismal end. Whether he is there to see it through is another question.
Barca play their final La Liga game at Alaves before hosting Napoli on August 8 in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
"He (Messi) is right that if we play as badly as we have done in some games we won't win anything but we have had great moments," Setien told a news conference.
"The important thing is we all know how we need to improve, and we need to learn to be a more reliable team. If we can play as well as we did in the (4-1 win) against Villarreal, then I'm sure we can win the Champions League."
Football fans have also had their say. Spanish sports publication Marca conducted their end of season poll for player of the season, and for once Messi did not come out on top.
The Argentine has scored 28 goals in 41 games in all competitions, a considerable drop in his usual haul.
And while he continues to impress, fans voted to put another star player ahead of him - and it's a reflection of their season in what position he plays.
To see how the players ranked, in reverse order, swipe on the picture above.
Published: July 19, 2020 12:36 PM
