It showed the type of player he is that when Lionel Messi injured his lateral collateral ligaments in his left knee in only the third minute of Barcelona’s 2-1 win over Las Palmas that the Argentine skipper trudged on even for another seven minutes.
You can often tell a players importance by their team-mates reaction as several Barcelona players swarmed round Messi like a bee round honey when he failed to get up immediately following the challenge with opposing defender Pedro Bigas.
The 28 year old was left writhing in pain following the collision as the angst around the Nou Camp became a microcosm for the world of football.
The diagnosis couldn’t have been much more unforgiving. Eight weeks on the sidelines for the instrumental Messi. That’s eight weeks that Barcelona must find an alternative medicine to this latest infirmity.
On face value you would think we are now about to learn a lot more about this Barcelona team under Luis Enrique and how he can get the best out of his players without his talisman and the Catalan clubs own amulet.
But who will step forward if this jewel gets damaged itself? Two other south American’s spring to mind almost immediately who make up perhaps the most potent and incisive front three in the world.
Neymar Jr and Luis Suarez will have to learn to play differently now as teams now press more tightly on the supporting cast. Whereas Suarez may be less likely to try his flicks and tricks that have been so penetrative with Messi as his sidekick, we may now see Neymar enjoy more success.
The last time Messi was out for a sustained period of time, all the weight was on Neymar’s shoulders to step into the Argentine’s role. Perhaps you would say this is impossible as Messi could be seen as a football romantics descendant of God.
However, that period was nearly two years ago when the Brazilian wasn’t anywhere near as integrated into the squad as he is now and much less mature both on and off the field.
The central striking role he slotted into, for two months between December 2013 and January 2014 is now firmly in the possession of Suarez and will mean Neymar can operate on the left of the three-pronged attack and he and his new ‘workman-like’ hair-do can get down to business.
Furthermore with Brazilian compatriot Roberto Carlos recently coming out and declaring Neymar,in a Barcelona shirt, as the best player in the world then attempting to plug the Messi shaped void before the massive El Clasico in November may not be as glaring and inconceivable as first thought.
