MSN Named 'Best Forward Line in History' by Xavi

By Rory Marsden, Featured Columnist 

Jan 19, 2016

Former Barcelona captain Xavi believes the Blaugrana's current front three of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez is the best ever.

The trio have continued their stunning form this season after leading Barca to the treble last term, and they were all on the scoresheet as Luis Enrique's side hammered Athletic Bilbao 6-0 on Sunday.

Xavi—now at Qatari club Al Sadd—hailed them as a historic attacking line, while also crediting Enrique with developing how Barca play in his year-and-a-half in charge, per Spanish outlet Marca (via ESPN FC):

Luis Enrique has evolved Barcelona. He is serious, very professional. Barcelona now also have players capable of playing two ways. When we have the ball, with possession; but now, if you flinch, they go on the counter and this is an option handled perfectly.

Neymar, Luis Suarez and Messi are amazing. We do not need much preparation—these three are able to create attacks on their own. And then there is what lies behind: Busquets, Pique, Alba, Rakitic, Alves ... a great team.

We have the best attack in the world, I think it is the best forward line in history. Here, I see everyone in Europe from Bayern Munich to Real Madrid. Today, Barcelona are the best team in the world—a team to enjoy from a distance.

Barca earned their title as the world's best team with their victory at the FIFA Club World Cup back in December but, realistically, they had already merited the accolade after a phenomenal 2014-15 season.

The treble-winning campaign returned a staggering combined total of 122 goals for Suarez, Neymar and Messi, a figure that eclipsed any other trio in Spanish history, per Barcelona's website.

Xavi played alongside one of the other great attacking trios—Messi, Samuel Eto'o and Thierry Henry—which led Pep Guardiola's Barca to treble glory in 2008-09.

But the chemistry and understanding between the current Camp Nou front line does seemingly eclipse any other in recent memory.

The South American treble have not slowed down in the current campaign, and Neymar and Messi were both included on the final shortlist for the 2015 Ballon d'Or—which the Argentinian eventually won—with Suarez controversially left out of the FIFA/FIFPro World XI, per Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe and Dean Jones:

Though Barca are currently second to Atletico Madrid in the La Liga table, they remain favourites for the title as they have a game in hand and are only two points back.

They also look like making a good go at being the first team to successfully defend the Champions League—they eased through their group without losing a match—and are also in the last eight of the Copa del Rey.

A second successive treble for Barca is far from out of the question and, with the front three being hailed as the best in history, such a feat could earn the current side the title of the best club team of all time.

Source: Bleacherreport