Paulinho scoring is no longer a surprise La Liga - Barcelona Seven for the season

In Paulinho, Ernesto Valverde has what Frank Rijkaard had with Deco; a midfielder who can score a lot of goals to the point where it's no longer a surprise to see the Brazilian finding the net.

Sunday's clash with Levante saw the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder return to the score sheet.

Like a natural forward he broke into the penalty area to get on the end of a loose ball.

Lionel Messi knows that the Brazilian is always going to be making a surging run and therefore has the confidence to lay the ball into space.

He has seven goals already this season, four of them scored in the last 10 minutes of matches.

Such a tally means the 29-year-old is LaLiga's highest scoring midfielder.

As his arrival was met with such bemusement, few could have envisaged just how key a figure the midfielder would become within Valverde's system.