No, Neymar has already talked about this as has Suarez, Leo is the designated penalty taker. He defers to Luis, Neymar or others. I remember reading that he predicted he'd score a brace tonight, wonder if that entered into it or if Messi liked the rhythm the player was in to reward him
Neymar 2016/17
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No, Neymar has already talked about this as has Suarez, Leo is the designated penalty taker. He defers to Luis, Neymar or others. I remember reading that he predicted he'd score a brace tonight, wonder if that entered into it or if Messi liked the rhythm the player was in to reward him
If Neymar was more productive, you could argue it maybe.
But Messi has bailed them out a lot this season as well and has had a fantastic season overall.
Messi is better against the league minnows, but Neymar seems to have perhaps eclipsed Messi in the big games.
I would've thought it was more a case of Messi not wanting to take a second penalty. I'd imagine that puts a lot of players off as they might tend to overthink it.
Nights like tonight which is why players like Hazard aren't at the same level
Hazard isn't even anywhere near as good a talent as Neymar, and that's before all the intangibles come in play that Hazard lacks and Neymar has.
Sensational tonight. Took the game by the scruff of the neck.
Agree. Neymar is in a different stratosphere to Hazard.
Just a matter of time before it's happening in all games.
Neymar at this stage of his career needs to start thinking about himself, and needs to step out of Messi's shadow. He would be more productive if he wasn't forced out on the wing in order to accommodate Messi's free role.
Cheeky bid in the summer?
Always said I think he needs to move if he wants to be the best player in the world.
There were people on here who didn't want him. Just madness.
As a neutral, Neymar for me was their best player in the run to their last CL win. He was scoring some clutch goals at important times (final, semi finals, etc).
Again, he was ice cold tonight. The goals were good (free kick especially) but that pass for the winner was just fantastic. Reminded me kinda of the pass that giggsy did to Owen in the Derby game for the winner. Didnt panic, and just picked out the right man.
Even first leg, he was the only one that looked to be trying (obviously others tried, but you know...)
Again, he was ice cold tonight. The goals were good (free kick especially) but that pass for the winner was just fantastic. Reminded me kinda of the pass that giggsy did to Owen in the Derby game for the winner. Didnt panic, and just picked out the right man.
Even first leg, he was the only one that looked to be trying (obviously others tried, but you know...)
Diving prick but unbelievable player, was basically playing LB as well as his usual role that whole game.
@BlueCelery Does not agree. He used this match as an example that Hazard is on Neymars level in the matchday thread.
I'm already 18-24 months past my own ignorance but I honestly never thought this guy would live up to his billing.
Not just based on tonight obviously but he's a really, really special player.
I almost enjoy him more for the fact that he's more Ronaldinho than Messi in the fact that he's just so full of goddamn joy at times.
Not just based on tonight obviously but he's a really, really special player.
I almost enjoy him more for the fact that he's more Ronaldinho than Messi in the fact that he's just so full of goddamn joy at times.
I wanted him at Utd 4 seasons ago but was shouted down.
I think he is at a point where he is the most lethal player in 1 vs 1 duels. Better than Messi. Barca know that just passing him the ball wide dispatches 2-3 players from the other team in that area. That's a tremendous weapon to have, a player who attracts opponents like a magnet.
Most fouled player in football
Every time he got the ball, he was dribbling past 2-3 players, he would lose the ball sometimes, but he didnt stop trying, kept trying to get past everyone, and force something. You can see he has the pressure of being brazils next big thing, and hes dealt with pressure excellently, was very impressed with free kick, and the penalty, took them very cooly
Scoring the 4th and 5th, and assisting the 6th.
And getting the penalty for the 3rd.
Break the bank for him Woody.
But can he do it on a cold winter's night in Stoke?
He definitely sold his soul to the devil during those 10 minutes. Trapp lets in a dumb straightforward freekick & then Suarez dives a penalty to get him his 2nd goal. All of a sudden he's the best player in the World now & every cnut is @ing me. 
Dread to think what moyes and lvg would have turned him into.
If we were going to break the record again, I'd go for Neymar over Griezmann every single day.
However, I doubt Neymar really wants to leave. I think he enjoys playing with Messi a lot.
He definitely sold his soul to the devil during those 10 minutes. Trapp lets in a dumb straightforward freekick & then Suarez dives a penalty to get him his 2nd goal. All of a sudden he's the best player in the World now & every cnut is @ing me.
okPogba has taken us up a level?
Against 10 man Bournemouth?
Bottom of the table Stoke?
Burnley...and a host of other teams.
We are in 6th place right now. Last season we finished in 5th.
Please explain what you mean by "Pogba has taken us up a level".
Suarez can win you games. Games which would otherwise been drawn or lost - Suarez gets you a win, by fair means or foul.
He definitely sold his soul to the devil during those 10 minutes. Trapp lets in a dumb straightforward freekick & then Suarez dives a penalty to get him his 2nd goal. All of a sudden he's the best player in the World now & every cnut is @ing me.
You don't honestly believe that do you? It was a phenomenal free kick, Hazard could only dream of pulling that off.
Are you seriously denying that wasn't a simple save for any competent Goalkeeper? You think De Gea or Courtois are letting that in?
You've actually convinced me. That's the greatest freekick of all time.
No-one is saying that though? Go back and look at the angle he hit it from and how close to the top corner it was. Hardly a "straight forward" free kick.
I pray Martial as a wide forward becomes anything remotely close to how Neymar is playing there now at age 25.
If so, we've hit the jackpot.
His performance today put him in Barcelona folklore.
I'm sorry I ever doubted you Ney.
I'm sorry I ever doubted you Ney.
He's not had the best of seasons but turned a corner awhile back and has been superb of late. If you take his whole game into account it shouldn't be long before he naturally takes Messi's crown as the best player in the world. Given his peformance in this game maybe it's a lot more imminent than one thought.
The rumours earlier on in the season about them needing to sell one of the three seems to have settled down, was genuinely exciting me as Neymar might have been a possibility then. Have to agree he's not going anywhere though. Maybe if we offered ridiculous wages and made it into Europe?
Yeah those rumors have been quiet as of late.
Maybe wages turn his head a bit, but I think Messi being at Barcelona was a huge reason he moved there in the 1st place iirc. He idolizes him.
Maybe when Messi declines a bit, Neymar might ask to leave.
14 goals and 16 assist and he pretty much had an off year to be honest.
If Messi still collects the awards at the end of the season then a 180m bid would be a steal for this guy.
Any other generation and he's the main player at Barca with a Balon Dor to his name at this stage of his career.
It's nearing the time when Barca need to make a choice. They can't have a player of this claibre being promised his rightful position in his late 20s while dealing with the Spanish government on his back.
Any other generation and he's the main player at Barca with a Balon Dor to his name at this stage of his career.
It's nearing the time when Barca need to make a choice. They can't have a player of this claibre being promised his rightful position in his late 20s while dealing with the Spanish government on his back.
I don't think comparing him to Hazard is fair, Hazard is very good but Neymar is one of the absolute best players on the planet, he's a genius and when he's on song he can even give Messi a run for his money. In fact, I think Neymar may finally have surpassed him this season (to be expected given Messi's age).
Overall I'd still probably put Messi ahead purely for the fact that for large parts of this season he has been carrying this Barca side when Suarez, Neymar etc were underperforming. In the big crunch games under pressure though Neymar just seems to thrive. He was their best player in the first leg and their best player again today, just wasn't going to accept any result except a win.