Luis Enrique was given the challenging task of fine-tuning the Barcelona formation that had taken the club to the most successful era in more than 115 years of history. Such an incredibly difficult mission had already been assigned to Gerardo Martino in the previous year, but his inability to make a positive difference resulted in the Argentinean manager being replaced at the end of his first and only season at the Camp Nou.
After several seasons of dominating world football with their attractive, patient style of football based on accurate passing and movement across the park, it became apparent that major rivals at European level had managed to find an antidote. Teams who were capable of organising their defensive line well and respond with quick counter-attacking efforts as soon as they recovered possession were more than likely to hurt Barca, as proved by Inter Milan in 2010 or Chelsea in 2012.
Due to his status as the world's best player, Lionel Messi had to deal with numerous rivals constantly surrounding him in the centre of the park. While his influence as a false nine had been stellar since the Pep Guardiola era, his teammates' inability to move the ball quickly across midfield meant that his game became less and less effective. If Messi's stats in terms of goals and assists didn't drop even further, it was solely thanks to his individual brilliance and determination.
Enrique had no choice but to find a solution after a couple of seasons in which the club's dominance was in clear, alarming decline. No longer the best side in world football in terms of freshness and desire, the Asturian manager was forced to make several tweaks to evolve into a more direct, aggressive, unpredictable style of football.
The signing of Golden Boot winner Luis Suarez gave Barcelona another deadly weapon up front. Considering the brilliance of Messi and the dynamism of Neymar, it soon became apparent that Enrique had to focus the team's efforts on ensuring his star-studded front line grabbed hold of the ball as soon as possible.
Messi was moved to the right wing in order to enable Suarez to occupy his preferred position as a more traditional central striker. Sure, the change did raise a few eyebrows at first but, given the Argentine's obvious improvement in terms of participation when building plays and ability to find opportunities to run at rivals one-on-one, we can now safely argue it was a positive decision. The 34 goals he's scored in 32 appearances this season so far, together with 16 assists, certainly speak for themselves.
At the same time, however, Enrique's evolution has also meant that other key players within the squad were forced to adapt their game for the overall benefit of the team.
Without a doubt, the group that has been affected the most is Barca's midfield.
Sergio Busquets was instrumental in the most successful era in the club's history. His ability to distribute and break up play efficiently enabled others such as Xavi, Andres Iniesta or Messi to focus on creating and moving the ball forward. While the Catalan youngster rarely moved into goal-scoring positions, his quick combinations were a constant in the club's attacking efforts.
The more rushed, less speculative system that Enrique has opted for leaves Busquets with much larger spaces to defend, exposing his weaknesses much more clearly. Barcelona's evolution has also had a direct impact on his attacking contribution, as the manager's insistence on reaching the front three much more quickly ultimately means the Spanish international is not required to take as many touches as he did in previous seasons.
Despite his unquestionable status as one of the world's best attacking midfielders, fan-favourite Iniesta has also been asked to modify his game. Despite being given relative freedom when pushing forward, the No. 8 has been asked to raise his defensive awareness. These days, Iniesta can be seen chasing after the ball as often as attempting his trademark slaloms. Still an influential player in decisive moments such as the Copa del Rey semifinals but, inevitably, in a slightly different way.
Enrique has prioritised speedy transitions the club's traditionally patient approach. While the attacking influence of regular starters such as Iniesta or Busquets has declined, their defensive focus makes the team much more cohesive as a unit. Kudos to both internationals for accepting their new role in such a humble way, prioritising the team's needs to their own individual interests.
The Quote: "I'm very satisfied with the way Andres is playing. He knocks defences off balance and he gives us defensive solidity. Everybody will be involved. The players all know that to achieve things everybody has to pull their weight." -- Luis Enrique.