A new LaLiga season begins, but will it be the same old Barça on the pitch?

The Koeman era begins in the middle of a storm that hasn't stopped all summer. FC Barcelona have been in the midst of a crisis ever since their lead in LaLiga slipped, they were embarrassed by Bayern Munich in the Champions League and then spent the aftermath forcing Lionel Messi to stay.

The vast majority of the issues at the club, of course, aren't because of Ronald Koeman but rather the current regime. Yesterday, the Dutchman reiterated that Luis Suarez's departure was "the club's decision" and didn't want to be painted as the bad guy. 

A few notable names have left the club during the summer - Suarez, Arturo Vidal and Ivan Rakitic - but for a 'revolution', there haven't been too many new faces through the door ahead of the LaLiga opener versus Villarreal.

Suarez's absence is clearly the biggest change and one which didn't help Lionel Messi's spat with Josep Maria Bartomeu. 

It's no secret that if the decision belonged to Leo, he would be joining Suarez in the departures lounge at the Camp Nou. Bartomeu refused to honour a clause in his contract and refused to negotiate with any interested side for the Argentine star.

When Messi hasn't been the focus of attention, it's turned to the upcoming presidential campaign and motions of 'no confidence'. Leo has been left without his closest friends and doesn't speak directly with the board. 

Koeman has no doubts about Messi's commitment to Barça. "I see him train every day." This was after suggestions he could down tools after not getting his move away.

Following the defeat to Bayern, the word 'revolution' was thrown around as Barça looked set to enter a period of transition. However a lack of movement, not helped by an unstable market, means two of the players Koeman didn't expect to have at the club will start against Villarreal: Busquets and Alba.

In terms of new arrivals, Coutinho appears to be ahead of youngsters Aleña and Riqui Puig in the pecking order. Ansu Fati's incredible rise in world football should see him retain his place in the starting lineup.

Koeman's switch to a 4-2-3-1 means there are more spaces available for Barça's wealth of attacking talent. It's also a system which appears to find places for Messi, Coutinho and Griezmann in the same XI.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, there still won't be supporters inside the Camp Nou. After all that's happened at the club this summer, that's probably a blessing in disguise.