Despite winning both La Liga and the Copa del Rey last season, Ernesto Valverde has never been completely accepted at Barcelona.

Does he play the right football? Is he equipped to compete for the Champions League?

Those have been arguably the two biggest questions levelled at Valverde and the latter, in particular, will be one he hopes to answer this season.

The 3-0 defeat in Rome last April remains the biggest stain on his managerial record at Barcelona but while things may not have been absolutely perfect, it's important to remember that it hasn't all been easy.

Valverde hadn't even led his team out in a game before Neymar was sold to Paris Saint-Germain, leaving an enormous gap in the side.

Fans would have bitten your hand off if they were offered a league and cup double at the time - and especially after Neymar's direct replacement, Ousmane Dembele, failed to have an immediate impact.

But despite the success, keeping everyone happy at a club the size of Barcelona is a nigh-on impossible task.

And Valverde is seeing that once again as no less than five first-team players are reported to have a problem with his method.

This time it comes down to playing time and Arturo Vidal, Malcom, Denis Suarez, Dembele, and Rafinha are all expecting to play more, according to Marca.

Vidal stands out, in particular, as a player who would have thought he'd see more of the pitch this season.

The Chilean arrived in the summer as a replacement for Paulinho but has started just twice as he approach December.

Rafinha, who spent time last season with Internazionale on loan, got back to the club this summer surely wanting more than just four starts.

Malcom finally appears to be getting minutes after his summer move from Bordeaux, but Suarez, now in his third season at Camp Nou, is yet to play this year.

Valverde may have won the league last season and be sitting on top again now, but he's had to learn very quickly that things aren't as simple as that with Barcelona.