Six days after vanquishing Clasico rivals Real Madrid away from home, Barcelona took all three points with a hard-fought 3-0 derby win at Espanyol on Saturday night at Cornella-El Prat.
Despite just being 25 years of age, Neymar is one of the most influential footballers in the world, and he joins only six other athletes in the yearly list.
It wasn't just the youngster that was satisfied with his performance, his teammates were just as pleased, and on Monday morning after the recovery session at the Sant Joan Despi training facility, Luis Suarez dedicated a tweet to the midfielder.
"Congratulations Denis Suarez for your first goal, let's hope there are many more. I'm very happy, you deserve it," was the message on the Uruguayan's social network.
Good news for Modric but Marcelo is out for a month
Real Madrid can take comfort in the news that Luka Modric should be back in action in 10 days time, although Marcelo's prognosis was far less encouraging.
After completing the appropriate medical tests on Monday morning, it has been confirmed that the Brazilian has a Grade II tear in the left femoral biceps and will be out for at least a month.
Almost certainly that means the left-back will miss the games against Celta Vigo, Real Sociedad, Osasuna, Espanyol, Valencia, Villarreal and Napoli, as well as a hypothetical cup semi-final if his team achieve a comeback this Wednesday.
Scolari: Neymar will dethrone Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi
within two years, Barcelona forward, Neymar, will dethrone the world's two best players, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, according to former Brazil coach Luis Felipe Scolari.
Now at Guangzhou Evergrande, the 68-year-old, who won the 2002 World Cup and who has 24 titles in a 35 year career, enjoys watching the Brazil of Tite and, if he had to choose between training Real Madrid or Barcelona, would opt for Los Blancos.
"Ronaldo and Messi always contend, inch by inch, the title of best in the world, but in two years I would put Neymar at that level," Scolari told EFE.
"In fact, he is possibly already starting to dethrone one of the two, because he is one of the best players I worked with."
Barcelona are the reigning LaLiga champions whilst Zinedine Zidane's Real seem poised to take their crown and are also the current Champions League holders.
"Today Real Madrid would resemble my style more than Barcelona," he continued.
"Luis Enrique likes to play good football but the Catalans have changed in the last two years with Suarez, Messi and Neymar.
"Ronaldo is the best player in the world because he becomes the best in the world, he trains for that and devotes himself to that in a different way than any other player.
"He imposes himself and Messi does not."
Asked if he had to choose the best players he trained, not surprisingly, the names offered were all Brazilian.
"Rivaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos too."
aturday afternoon saw Real Madrid become LaLiga 2016/17's winter champions with a game to spare after captain Sergio Ramos bagged a brace to end a three match winless run, so why was there such an air of discontent blowing around the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu?
On the face of it, all is well at the league leaders but it doesn't take much to scratch beneath the surface and witness the rumblings emanating from the pitch, the stands, and even the dugout.
Perhaps it began with the sudden, sharp contrast in fortunes that hit a team that were 39-matches unbeaten before scraping a draw at Sevilla and subsequently losing to the Andalusians in LaLiga, going on to suffer a 2-1 shock at home to Celta Vigo in the Copa del Rey.
The fears that those performances created returned when Saturday's opponents, mid-table Malaga, threatened a comeback having halved Real's lead early in the second-half, a lead which the hosts were unable to extend any further.
Much of the fans' ire regarding this was aimed at Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo, the Ballon d'Or winner yet to hit form in 2017 and not for the want of a day off, having been rested plenty of times in recent weeks.
Whether it is luck, niggling injury problems, or just poor quality finishing, the Bernabeu showed further signs of turning against their star man.
But there's more for the Frenchman to worry about than the whispers he picks up from the Lateral Este, as his squad is continually being struck by injuries.
Marcelo and Luka Modric are just the latest to be meeting the physio and the Brazilian looks less likely to make the vital trip to face Celta Vigo in midweek as Zidane and Real Madrid face a potential turning point in their season; win the tie and hark back to their form of 2016, or lose and risk befalling upon the Club World Cup curse that did for Carlo Ancelotti.
oming off of the back of a Ballon d'Or winning campaign in 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo has yet to get close to those heights since the turn of the year, and is growing more desperate to return to his best form.
That is big news for Real Madrid as they enter uncharted territory given their injury problems and lack of contribution from other key players.
Zinedine Zidane insisted he isn't worried by the Portugal international's drought - nor is he concerned by Karim Benzema's lack of goals - but to measure the mood of Ronaldo himself, you only have to closely track his movements during Saturday's 2-1 win over Malaga.
The forward had two very clear chances to score, particularly in the first half when he went through on goal but was denied by goalkeeper Carlos Kameni.
His gestures said it all as he looked lost, with his arms raised to the sky, pensive and wondering when his luck will turn.
It appears the former Manchester United man is growing every more desperate to get back among the goals and fast.
Against Celta Vigo in the Copa del Rey, he was played through the centre with Marco Asensio and Lucas Vazquez either side of him, while he returned to his usual role on the left against Malaga but neither bore any great success for Ronaldo.
The Estadio Santiago Bernabeu continues to wait for him to hit top gear again.
With three points in the bag for Los Blancos, their starring duo romped home in LaLiga Fantasy MARCA with 20 points for the goalscoring defender and 15 for his partner in crime.
Here's how the individual scores broke down from the match.
Zidane: "¿Cristiano? Yo también jugaba mal a veces, ¿y qué?"
inedine Zidane compareció en rueda de prensa previa al partido de Liga ante el Málaga y habló del estado del vestuario después de acumular dos derrotas consecutivas ante Sevilla y Celta.
Tras dos derrotas
"Lo bueno es que tenemos ya partido después de dos derrotas. Nosotros no vamos a cambiar la idea que tenemos"
Cristiano
"Cristiano siempre va a tener crítica. Cuando no mete, cuando juega en una posición diferente... Está acostumbrado a eso. Está concentrado como todos en el siguiente partido. Siempre va a ser el jugador que marque la diferencia para este equipo. A veces puede jugar peor, a mí me pasaba, ¿y qué?. Lo importante es seguir trabajando".
Cristiano, de nueve
"Jugó así el otro día, pensamos que estaba bien con Asensio en banda. Puede hacerlo pero pensamos que su mejor posición es en la izquierda, como ha hecho siempre y esto no va a cambiar".
Sentir del vestuario
"Esto es futbol, no se pueden ganar todos los partidos. Como en la vida. En mi mente sólo hay trabajo, pensando que las cosas se pueden hacer mejor. Antes también se podía mejorar. Antes teníamos una oportunidad y era gol. Tenemos que tener más concentración. No estoy preocupado".
Presión por ganar
"No existe eso de que no se puede fallar más. Vamos a dejar esta racha atrás, con convicción. La presión la tengo, pero ya cuando firmé con este club. Siempre la voy a tener, hasta el último día que esté aquí. Esto me hace crecer y más fuerte cada día".
James
"Tiene todavía molestias en el sóleo. Pero creo que el lunes estará ya con nosotros. Hemos tenido muchas lesiones, pero de golpes, no musculares. Espero que la semana que viene, ya el lunes, esté con el equipo. Los doctores y los fisios están trabajando bien con los lesionados".
Málaga
"Vi ese partido ante el Barça en directo y he visto muchos partidos del Málaga en vídeo. Los resultados no son positivos para ellos pero eso no significa nada. Son un equipo organizado, que sabe jugar, pero tenemos que preocuparnos por nosotros mismos".
Morata
"Son cosas del fútbol. Entrena bien, ha sido titular en dos partidos de cuatro y ahora le toca a otro jugador. Está concentrado, entrenando y listo para estar a disposicion del equipo. Veremos mañana cómo vamos a jugar"
La Copa del Rey ha rescatado la vertiente goleadora de Neymar Júnior. En dos semanas, el paulista ha marcado dos penaltis. El primero fue el miércoles pasado contra el Athletic de Bilbao en la vuelta de los octavos de final y el segundo llegó en Anoeta, en la ida de los cuartos. En ambos casos, después de una generosa 'paradinha', el balón terminó en el fondo de las mallas. Tanto Iraizoz como Rulli fueron engañados por el lanzador.
Más allá del gol, lo relevante de estas dos penas máximas es que Neymar las tiró con Leo Messi sobre el césped y el resultado en compromiso para el Barcelona. Al argentino, máximo goleador del mundo en 2016 y mejor realizador azulgrana en lo que va de curso, le están empezando a dar igual los tantos que llegan desde el punto fatídico. Por lo visto, le preocupa más echarle un cable a un compañero de delantera que atraviesa su peor temporada en el aspecto goleador.
Aunque va al alza, esta tendencia de Messi no es nueva. Últimamente, y también porque los penaltis no son su fuerte, es habitual que el rosarino ceda lanzamientos. No en vano, en los dos últimos cursos, ya ha dejado de tirar un total de 15, siendo Neymar y Suárez, por este orden, los principales favorecidos por su generosidad.
A weekend visit from Hull City affords Chelsea midfielder Pedro (£7.0m) the opportunity to continue his excellent home Fantasy Premier League form.
The Spaniard has almost exclusively picked up points at Stamford Bridge this season.
Pedro has returned four goals and six assists at home, compared with one strike on his travels – at Leicester City in Gameweek 21.
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After initially struggling to cement a regular role under Antonio Conte, Pedro managed just a single appearance in the Blues’ first XI over the opening seven Gameweeks.
But since then, he has started 12 of the following 13 fixtures for which he has been available.
At Stamford Bridge, in particular, the former Barcelona man has proven prolific. Netting against the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton, he has produced a goal or assist in five of his six home starts.
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Pedro offers explosive home potential, delivering three double-digit hauls. Only Eden Hazard (£10.4m), with four, has managed more.
Up next, he faces a Tigers side who boast the second-worst defensive away record, shipping 24 goals in 10 matches outside of the KCOM Stadium.
Pedro's home and away record
Key statistics
Home
Away
Goal attempts per match
1.7
1.2
Penalty area goal attempts per match
1.0
1.1
Goal attempts on target per match
0.4
0.3
Goal conversion
26.7%
9.1%
Chances created
1.1
0.2
ICT Index
6.5
3.0
Assessing his displays in west London and on the road, it is clear that the Spaniard prefers home comforts.
Pedro has fired an average of 1.7 efforts on goal at Stamford Bridge compared with 1.2 on the road.
While his shots inside the box (1.0 to 1.1) and efforts in target (0.4 to 0.3) are near-identical, he has been far more clinical - 26.7% of his scoring opportunities at home have found the net, up substantially from a 9.1% conversion rate in away trips.
Only Eden Hazard has more double-figure hauls (four to three) than Pedro at home this season
He has also been far more creative, too, with his average number of key passes (1.1 to 0.2) far superior.
Should Diego Costa (£10.3m) miss out once again with an ongoing back problem, Conte is likely to turn to Pedro, Hazard and Willian (£7.2m) as his front three once again this Sunday.
Having supplied a second double-digit return in three appearances away to Leicester last weekend, the 5%-owned Pedro offers FPL managers an in-form, under-the-radar option as Chelsea seek an eighth successive home victory.
me alegro mucho te lo mereces
Suárez&Suárez!
