Accolades have continued to trail the recent form of Barcelona’s Brazilian import Neymar, who has scored 8 goals in tens appearances so far this season.
The latest is coming from Barcelona teammate Marc Bartra who believes that the 23-year-old forward has improved his game in the absence of injured Lionel Messi, who has been side-lined by a knee injury that is expected to keep him out of action till December.
Neymar provided both assists for Ivan Rakitic’s brace against BATE Borisov in Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League encounter and scored four goals against Rayo Vallecano on Saturday, meaning that the team has won three out of its four games without talismanic Messi.
“I think it is the case that Neymar has taken up a roll where he participates more in the build-up of play with Messi not there,” Bartra noted. “He is playing well and with the quality that we have in attack it is important that players like he and Suarez keep scoring the goals for us.”
However he believes Messi still towers over every other player in the world including Neymar.
“Neymar is a great player but Leo is incomparable and there is no way you can replace him,” said the defender.
“Neymar and Suarez are among the best players in the world, they needed to step up and fill the gap which is what is happening but it is also the responsibility of the rest of the team.
“We are not at top level in front of goal and we are aware of that the team can do more but with work we will get there,” he averred.
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