Word NewsBarcelona have the chance to be the best club in the world this season. However, there could be issues if two top players cannot get along on the pitch.
The defending La Liga champions made one of the biggest transactions of the summer when they signed Brazilian sensation Neymar. The 21-year-old forward has elite skill as a scorer and has already produced a number of highlight-reel plays in his young career.
Adding him to a squad with the reigning Ballon d'Or winner, Lionel Messi, and it would seem as though Barcelona would be impossible to stop.
Unfortunately, putting two goalscorers together does not always lead to success from both parties.
Manchester United tried this strategy when it combined Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney last season. The two ranked No. 1 and No. 2 respectively in the EPL in goals scored the year before, but Rooney dropped from 27 to 12 goals. The veteran player is now trying to force a transfer after seeing his role diminished.
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Obviously, United won the Premier League last season so there is no real regret with adding van Persie. However, the club struggled in other competitions and could end up being worse off in the long term.
This is certainly something Barcelona will want to avoid going forward. They certainly do not want to disturb the play of the best player in the world over the past few years.
In the last two seasons, Messi has scored 96 goals in league play, plus plenty more in continental competitions. However, the problem is that the club struggled when he was not on the pitch.
Here is a look at the forward's role with the team last season:
The hope is that Neymar could help balance this out a bit as he provides a secondary option on the attack. The problem is there is no evidence that Messi will be able to succeed with someone else stealing touches.
Barca is full of talented offensive players like Cesc Fabregas, Andres Iniesta and Xavi, but each of these men are better at setting up others. Neymar is the first one who will legitimately be able to create for himself as much as Messi.
This could lead to some friction between the two as they battle for opportunities, which could lead to poor play as a team.
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So far, there have not been any problems between these world-class players. According to Joe Wright of Goal.com, Messi recently spoke about Neymar, saying, "We get on with each other on and off the pitch and we're getting to know each other little by little... he'll bring a lot of joy to the club, to us and to the people."
New manager Gerardo Martino was also encouraged by the early play of his superstars, according to Miles Chambers of Goal.com:
Messi and Neymar combined well and played in different areas of the pitch.
The connection between Neymar and Leo was the most interesting thing about the game and they played as well as we expected. They combined well and scored goals, but they also combined with other players, which is what you expect at this level.
If the relationship between Messi and Neymar continues to improve over the next few weeks and months, this could be an unstoppable side. Barcelona would not only be favorites to repeat as La Liga champions, but they would be the team to beat in Champions League.
However, any struggle for them to work together could lead to an unsuccessful year in all competitions.
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