Barcelona players refuse to wear Messi's no. 10

Lionel Messi finally made his debut for new club Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday, but the void he left behind at FC Barcelona remains unfilled. The Blaugrana had their own league match against Getafe on Sunday afternoon at the Camp Nou, and the squad list that was released still did not show anyone wearing the number 10 that Messi wore for over two decades.

Philippe Coutinho returned to the squad after a lengthy injury, and donned his usual no. 14 shirt instead of the number 10. Before he returned to action, the Brazilian was rumored to be a possible heir to Messi's shirt. However, he opted out of the opportunity to take up the legendary number. Prior to that, new signing Sergio Aguero was the top choice to inherit Messi's number, as confirmed by co-captain Gerard Pique himself. However, Messi's childhood friend and Argentina teammate opted for the number 19 instead.

Now that both Aguero and Coutinho have clearly registered other numbers, Pedri and Ansu Fati are the two players who may still consider taking on the responsibility of wearing the number 10. The pair of youngsters are considered to be part of Barcelona's long-term plans, and either one of them could potentially make a name for himself while wearing Messi's shirt.

Of course, donning the club legend's number puts one firmly under the spotlight, and whoever takes it must know that there will be a lot of pressure to perform. Not only is the six-time Ballon d'Or winner a club legend, he is also widely considered to be one of the best to ever play the game. Those are some big shoes to fill, and taking his number is a decision that is clearly not being taken lightly.

Now is the time to shine for these youngsters, especially as the club deals with a string of injuries so early in the season. Aguero has not made his Barcelona debut yet after picking up an injury during the summer, while Gerard Pique, Ousmane Dembele, Martin Braithwaite and Sergi Roberto are also sidelined at the moment.