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Messi’s start to the season proves Barcelona will be Gucci without Neymar
After Neymar left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in a world record transfer deal (worth a reported €222 million) it looked like Barcelona were in total disarray.
They had to panic buy Ousmane Dembele, an incredibly talented but unproven young frenchman (who is now out 3-4 months after rupturing his hamstring), and spent another €40 million on Paulinho, a 29-year-old who had been playing in China for two years.
Yes, Neymar will probably be the best player in the world in a couple years. But he has to wait his turn.
Lionel Messi is still out here doing absolutely ridiculous shit, scoring 4 goals against Eibar yesterday in La Liga.
After converting a penalty early in the game, Messi slotted in three more goals with some perfectly-placed trademark finishes that have made him one of the most prolific soccer players of all-time.
GOAL: "Leo Messi holds himself up better than a pole dancer." – @RayHudson #BarcaEibar pic.twitter.com/YcU4p0YPGV
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) September 19, 2017
Messi has an ability to score out of what looks like nothing. When it looks like he’s in between steps or slightly off balance, he flicks an indefensible shot right past the keeper. The excitable Ray Hudson on the BeIN Sport broadcast yelps with joy as Messi does whatever he wants on the pitch.
GOAL: 5️⃣ @FCBarcelona display an utter disregard for chill, and Leo Messi has his hat-trick! 🚫❄️🎩#BarcaEibar pic.twitter.com/5H3DBBPqt5
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) September 19, 2017
GOAL: Why stop at 3 when you can have 4️⃣?! A hat-trick wasn't enough for Leo Messi. #BarcaEibar pic.twitter.com/BMrymIRP3u
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) September 19, 2017
“Sharper than a surgeon’s scalpel,” says Hudson as Messi slots in his fourth.
Messi has 9 goals in 5 La Liga games so far this season as Barcelona remains undefeated in the league. He also added 2 goals in the Champions League last week against Juventus, the team that eliminated Barca from the competition last season. These were Messi’s first goals against Italian legend Gigi Buffon. The Argentinian continues to set new standards of greatness.
While Barca is undefeated, so too is Neymar’s PSG, but not without controversy. Over the weekend, Neymar and strike partner Edinson Cavani argued over a penalty and reportedly had to be separated in the locker room after the game.
Nobody told Cavani that Neymar gets to take PSG penalties now 😂 after this, Neymar might get first dibs next time! pic.twitter.com/HbnMDxqci2
— GOAL (@goal) September 17, 2017
This led to reports that Neymar told the club to immediately sell Cavani. While that seems like tabloid fodder, not all is well in Parisian paradise.
Barcelona may be just fine without Neymar as long as Lionel Messi keeps on doing his thing.