Barcelona attack picking up steam ahead of visit to Valencia

Barcelona will aim to continue their remarkable run after the international break when they face fourth-placed Valencia at the Mestalla on Sunday. Considering Los Che's current form and the positive atmosphere surrounding their team since multi-millionaire Peter Lim bought the club only four weeks ago, the Blaugranas are definitely ahead of a major challenge which they can overcome only if key players perform at the very best of their abilities both collectively and individually.After a week of celebrating in reaching the top of the all-time goal-scoring table in both the Champions League and La Liga, Lionel Messi will certainly welcome the chance to focus back solely on football.

In contrast to other sportsmen, the quadruple Ballon d'Or winner seems like he'd rather be at home drinking mate with his family than feeding his ego by self-promoting and giving countless interviews. His humble, yet often evasive attitude towards the media is definitely a much-needed defensive mechanism which likely helps him cope with the heavy pressure that comes with being one of the most recognisable faces on the planet.

While Cules would often like to hear more about the way Messi feels about ongoing off-the-pitch issues, ultimately all that truly matters is to continue to speak on the pitch and raising the bar on a weekly basis.

In an attempt to accommodate Luis Suarez into his preferred area of influence at the heart of Barca's attack, manager Luis Enrique took the risky decision to move Messi further away from the rival's back line. Fortunately, the No.10 has thrived in his new position as a right winger with permission to cut towards the centre and roam around the Catalans' final third whenever he pleases.

His two consecutive hat tricks in the last week are undeniable proof that rivals just haven't found an antidote for the latest evolution of Messi's ever-changing game. Sure, the Argentinean captain was played there often at the beginning of his career, but this time he is a much more experienced forward who understands that attracting more than one defender automatically means that one of his attacking teammates will be relatively unmarked.

"La Pulga" is often regarded for his jaw-dropping goal-scoring ability, and rightly so. However, many continuously overlook that Messi is in fact one of the most skilled passers in the history of the game, someone capable of creating one-on-one situations for teammates with virtually impossible assists of which others can only dream. His improved desire to connect fellow forwards Neymar and, more recently, Suarez, is a deadly weapon that will become even more lethal as the season develops.

With his front three against Valencia being blatantly obvious, coach Enrique will be faced with a much more difficult dilemma when picking the team behind them.

After excelling in the midweek Champions League game as a defensive midfielder, many would like to see Javier Mascherano start in his preferred position once again. Despite his class, passing ability and vision being unquestionable, the truth is that Sergio Busquets hasn't looked as solid defensively as Cules would have hoped in recent times, even lacking his usual focus at times. His puzzling words while away on international duty, when he questioned whether Barca will ever be back to their best again, also show a disappointing lack of ambition.

Andres Iniesta should be back in the squad if he is fully recovered from the muscular injury picked up in the clasico in late October. Even if he was to come in as a second half substitute, Barca would certainly benefit from having their inspirational playmaker back. Considering his poor form even before injury, continued playing time is now essential if he is to reach full fitness and play a decisive part when crucial games are played in the final third of the season.

Fortunately, Gerard Pique has responded to the manager's criticism with a couple of strong performances in the last week. With the Catalan centre back looking like a strong contender for a starting spot once again, trying to guess the back line that Enrique will end up fielding at the Mestalla is little short of impossible. Based on their recent displays, former Valencia captain Jeremy Mathieu, youngster Marc Bartra and even Mascherano would all be reliable choices.

Despite the bad publicity, Barca are in fact the third-best team in Europe when it comes to goals conceded in their domestic leagues, with only six in 12 matches, only behind Bayern Munich and Juventus. Deserved kudos to Enrique for making the necessary changes so that the team is in a strong defensive position after years of constant struggle. May the current positive dynamic continue in the future!

Considering all the points above, here's a predicted lineup for the game against Valencia: Claudio Bravo; Dani Alves, Mathieu, Pique, Jordi Alba; Mascherano, Xavi, Rakitic; Neymar, Suarez, Messi.

The quote: "It's a special game for me but I won't play any differently. It's always nice to play at Mestalla, I was there for many years. Now I am 100% focused on Barça. We have had a difficult time but I think we have played really well in the last two games and we go to Valencia with the idea of continuing in the same vein. It's decisive because we have to pick up three points to keep up there against a rival who are right behind us. We are going to Valencia to take all three points." -- Mathieu.