Brazil depended on Pele, Argentina depended on Maradona, and in 2006, Barcelona depended on Ronaldinho. So, why all the talk of Messi-dependency as if it were a bad thing? There’s no question that Barça is a better team with Messi on the pitch. There isn’t a club on this planet where that wouldn’t be the case. (Maybe in whatever planet Messi is from.) But to say that there is a dependency is to suggest that Barça cannot function without the Argentine.

Barcelona is far less dependent on Messi’s goals. While his 16 scores account for nearly 25 percent of the offense, Samuel Eto’o and Thierry Henry have combined for 31 goals (19 and 12 respectively.) Keep in mind, we’re just barely past the mid-way point of the season and already Eto’o and Henry have as many goals as Tevez, Rooney and Saha did in all of last season.

My point is not to belittle Messi’s influence on the team. Barça’s fluidity when he’s on the pitch speaks for itself and this week’s come-from-behind victory over Racing is evidence of his importance. His teammates say playing with him makes the game easier. But to claim there’s ‘Messi-dependency’ is to demean those world class teammates who make up the best team La Liga has ever seen through 21 games. Pep Guardiola’s squad is no one-man show.