"Messi spoke to me. It changed everything” - Neymar reveals how Lionel Messi changed his life at Barcelona
The chemistry between Neymar and Lionel Messi will always be a part of Barcelona's history. With the duo leading the side's attack along with Luis Suarez during the 2014-15 season, the Blaugrana became the first European team to win a treble for the second time.
Barcelona's attacking trio of Messi, Neymar, and Luis Suárez, were commonly dubbed MSN. The three players scored 122 goals in all competitions that year. It is the most (in a season) for an attacking trio in Spanish football history.
In a Netflix documentary titled - Neymar: The Perfect Chaos, the 29-year-old playmaker revealed the enormous pressure he was under while adjusting to Spanish football.
The first challenge the forward faced at Camp Nou was strictly from a physical standpoint. Extremely slender in his stature, the Brazil international was advised by doctors to gain weight to cope with the physicality of the game. The second was mental - to believe that he deserved a place amongst the greats.
In the documentary, The Brazilian narrates:
“During my first season at Barça, I was understood much pressure. I did not recognize myself. I was crying in the locker room and at the time, Messi spoke to me. It changed everything.”
Under Lionel Messi's guidance, the youngster soon began showing signs of brilliance by adapting to Barcelona's tiki-taka style of play. The duo played 161 games together for Blaugrana, winning 120 games in total and scoring 56 goals.
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The inception of the MSN attacking unit began with Neymar signing a five-year deal with Barcelona for a fee of €86.2 million. His release clause was set at €190 million. Barcelona quickly added Suárez to their ranks in 2014 to complete the trio.
Neymar's chemistry with Lionel Messi at PSG
The abrupt nature of the Brazilian's departure from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 took the world by surprise. The deadly trio in Spanish football was finally broken. People thought the Neymar-Messi partnership was over until the Argentine's shocking move to PSG at the start of the season.
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Messi x Neymar https://t.co/QEHK8jEVQZ
The duo have re-established their connection at the Parc des Princes. So far, they have already featured together in nine games for the Ligue 1 side. After PSG’s 3-1 defeat over Manchester United last season, Neymar spoke candidly about playing with Lionel Messi again. He said:
“I want to play with Messi again. It’s what I want the most. I want to enjoy being on the pitch with him again. For sure, next year we have to do it.”