Six Barcelona signings that have served for (practically) nothing

Barcelona won their fifth Champions League in 2015. Their rival in Berlin was Juventus, the team who knocked them out of Europe this season on Wednesday. Two years after that title, Luis Enrique's side offered two changes from that final: Sergi Roberto for Dani Alves (who was on the opposite team) and Samuel Umtiti for Javier Mascherano. Juve, in contrast, had nine different faces, with only Leonardo Bonucci and Gianluigi Buffon starting both games. 

It's clear that Barça have not been able to evolve, despite investing 175 million euros in signings. They spent 52 million in 2015 on Arda Turan (34m) and Aleix Vidal (18m) and then 123 million last summer: Paco Alcácer (30m), André Gomes (35m), Digne (17m), Denis Suárez (3m), Cillessen (13m) and Umtiti (25m). Only the final one of those players played against Juve. The conclusion is clear: the reinforcements have served for (practically) nothing and in the next transfer market Barça must work hard to build a more competitive squad. 

The responsibility for the failings in the transfer market falls on Albert Soler and Robert Fernandez, the two in charge of recruitment. And in addition to signing more players, they have another important (even more important, perhaps) task: to find a replacement for Luis Enrique.  

THE SACRED COWS 

The idea is that the regular players are so good they shouldn't be dropped no longer rings true. Because in the last two seasons the Blaugrana have fell short in the Champions League, losing twice in the last eight, against Atletico and now Juventus. The signings should have offered alternatives for the coach, but none have added enough quality to take the places of the 'sacred cows', who continue to play the majority of minutes despite Luis Enrique's controversial rotations.  

The six signings performances in the Champions League have been as follows:

• PACO ALCÁCER (STRIKER)
• Cost: 30 million
• Games played: 3
• Starts: 2
• Minutes: 176
• Shots on goal: 1
• Goals: 0

• ANDRÉ GOMES (MIDFIELDER)
• Cost: 35 million
• Games played: 8
• Starts: 5
• Minutes: 465
• Shots on goal: 2
• Goals: 0

• DENIS SUÁREZ (MIDFIELDER)
• Cost: 3 million
• Games played: 1
• Starts: 1
• Minutes: 90
• Shots on goal: 0
• Goals: 0

• SAMUEL UMTITI (DEFENDER)
• Cost: 25 million
• Games played: 8
• Starts: 8
• Minutes: 726
• Shots on goal: 0
• Goals: 0

• LUCAS DIGNE (FULL-BACK)
• Cost: 17 million
• Games played: 4
• Starts: 2
• Minutes: 284
• Shots on goal: 0
• Goals: 0

• JASPER CILLESSEN (GOALKEEPER)
• Cost: 13 million
• Games played: 1
• Starts: 1
• Minutes: 90
• Goals conceded: 0

It should be noted that 26 goals were scored in Barcelona's 10 Champions League games -- none by any of the new signings. Arda Turan has scored, on four occasions. The performances from the Turkish midfielder and Aleix Vidal, last summer's signings, were as follows...

• ARDA TURAN (MIDFIELDER)
• Cost: 34 millones de euros
• Games played: 5
• Starts: 1
• Minutes: 172
• Shots on goal: 7
• Goals: 4

• ALEIX VIDAL (FULL-BACK)
• Cost: 18 millones de euros
• Games played: 1
• Starts: 1
• Minutes: 90
• Shots on goal: 0
• Goals: 0