Lionel Messi is still recovering from an injury. Someone really has to step up for Barcelona right now, a team that (due to FIFA sanctions, among other things) doesn’t have a particularly long bench. Neymar has taken the post. Against Villarreal this weekend, he had a Messi-like performance, scoring two of his team’s goals in a 3-0 victory.
The third goal was particularly amazing:
A video posted by Raul Vilchis (@raulvilchiso) on
In fact, Neymar is having a heck of a season. He has already scored 11 goals this season in La Liga (half of what he accomplished all of last season). Twenty of the 23 goals Barça has scored in Messi’s absence have come from Neymar and Luis Suárez. They have also improved defensively; Barcelona has not received goals in the last four matches, all of which were wins for the Blaugrana.
https://twitter.com/NeyMarvellous/status/663713811162079232
No wonder Barcelona is now in sole possession of the top spot of La Liga standings, and never looked more prepared to take on Real Madrid in El Clásico in a couple weeks (November 21, so don’t make any plans). They will be the away team, though, so let’s hope that doesn’t diminish their chances of success.