Ter Stegen, Balde and 5 Unsung Heroes of Barcelona's La Liga Triumph

It is natural to shower praises on Robert Lewandowski, Ousmane Dembele, and Pedri for Barcelona's incredible La Liga triumph this season.

Everyone knows they are irreplaceable players with unique skillsets and outstanding qualities.

These superstars of Barcelona’s La Liga-winning campaign are easy to recognise and they indeed deserve much of the credit.

However, it is often forgotten that these stars are supported by a cast of equally irreplaceable players whose roles in Barcelona are just as extraordinary.

Sports Brief has looked at five players who are often overlooked in Xavi Hernandes's team.

Marc-André ter Stegen

One cannot start a column about unsung heroes and not mention the Zamora Trophy winner, ter Stegen. This award is presented to the goalkeeper with the lowest number of goals conceded to games in the Spanish League.

The German had one of the most memorable defensive campaigns in recent memory and the numbers speak for themselves. Per Planet Football, he kept 25 clean sheets from 34 matches and conceded less than half the goals of the next-best defence in the Spanish top flight - Atletico Madrid - who conceded 27 times.

One needs only watch ter Stegen to see how fantastic he is and what an excellent shot-stopper he is. He is one of the toughest goalkeepers to beat in a one-on-one situation.

Xavi Hernandez

People didn’t believe Xavi was good enough to rebuild a team which could return to Spanish football dominance. Yet the 43-year-old proved them wrong.

He became the first Barcelona coach to record 37 league victories inside 50 league fixtures, level with Carlo Ancelotti and only bettered by Zinedine Zidane and Jose Mourinho (both 39), and Miguel Munoz (40).

Xavi also achieved a personal milestone after he edged past his old coach, Pep Guardiola as the second-best Barca manager of all-time, based on the first 50 games in charge, Football Espana reported.

Barcelona have7 the best defense in Europe because Xavi made this his priority when he came in. Their current rate of 0.382 goals conceded per game is only bettered by Cagliari of 1969-70 (0.367) and Liverpool of 1978-79 (0.381).

Alejandro Balde

Balde is one of the main reasons this Barcelona side is as good as it is. He brings a set of unique talents to the table which matches some of the best left-backs in the world.

He is a La Masia product through and through, having joined the Catalans at the age of eight, and is a player every fan should all be rooting for. Balde is proof that Barca's academy can still cultivate world-class talent in a variety of positions.

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Even though competition in the left-back position is stiff, the 19-year-old left his older compatriots in the dust, putting in high-level performances on a consistent basis.

Balde has done a great job of choosing his moments and has been equally good with the ball at his feet, as well as when he runs off the ball as well.

Andreas Christensen

The decision to sign Christensen was ridiculed by fans and others alike, but he has proven reliable and much less of a liability on the field.

He joined the Catalan giants for absolutely no transfer fees whatsoever and has showcased himself as one of the most sensible and cleverest transfers done by Barcelona in the last few years.

Christensen has not only integrated himself into the club’s system and environment rather effortlessly, moreover, he has become an integral part of that very system itself.

The Dane is an unspoken defender at the back, who, alongside Ronald Araujo and Jules Kounde, makes the team that much more secure at the back.

Sergio Busquets

The Spaniard is one of the most underrated footballers in the world. The truth is that Busquets is an extremely intelligent player and while lacking a traditional defensive midfielder's strength and pace, he is rarely caught with his pants down.

The 34-year-old was the piece that made the machine work: defending, passing, controlling the game, stopping counter-attacks, covering acres of ground, and being the extension of the coach on the pitch.

Without Busquets, Barcelona might struggle to maintain their habitual possession rates of over 70% throughout games. Without him, when their wing-backs go all over the field, they would leave all kinds of spaces in their defense.

Simply put, La Blaugrana would not have been able to win as many trophies without their midfield lynchpin.