{"id":1178929,"date":"2020-12-06T14:46:57","date_gmt":"2020-12-06T14:46:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1178929"},"modified":"2020-12-06T15:26:46","modified_gmt":"2020-12-06T15:26:46","slug":"who-is-lionel-messis-ideal-strike-partner","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/who-is-lionel-messis-ideal-strike-partner\/","title":{"rendered":"Neymar wants him back, but who’s Lionel Messi’s ideal strike partner outside Barcelona?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lionel Messi is the best player in the world, but no player can win it all alone.<\/b><\/p>\n

Occasionally they can come close, but there’s always others who play a large role even if they aren’t always acknowledged. Messi has had many great strike partners throughout his legendary career that have helped him to great success.<\/p>\n

Luis Su\u00e1rez was the most recent and the pair were parted this summer as the Uruguayan joined Atl\u00e9tico Madrid, but there’s also Neymar. The brilliant Brazilian was Messi’s sidekick for four years between 2013 and 2017 until he left to join PSG.<\/p>\n

And recently he’s been quoted as saying<\/a>: “what I want most is to play with Messi again. I want to play with him. I’ll let him play in my position if he wants! Next year, we have to play together, for sure.”<\/p>\n

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    Now, in the past that kind of statement would have led to endless rumours about Barcelona re-signing Neymar from PSG. However now the scale of financial devastation that Barcelona are facing because of the mismanagement of the previous board has been laid bare, and given potential new presidents<\/a> are saying things like “Bar\u00e7a would survive,” should Messi leave, while the player seems to be seriously struggling in front of goal (see below), and of course considering he tried to leave last summer only to be denied by his contract, which expires in the summer of 2021… what is more likely is that Messi leaves Barcelona to join Neymar at PSG.<\/span><\/p>\n

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    Only four times has a player attempted 10+ shots in a LaLiga game in 2020:<\/p>\n

    Lionel Messi vs. Valencia (11)
    Lionel Messi vs. Levante (10)
    Lionel Messi vs. Alaves (10)
    Lionel Messi vs. Cadiz (10)<\/p>\n

    He has failed to score in any of those games when attempting 10+ shots. ? pic.twitter.com\/q5FmKNPCQQ<\/a><\/p>\n

    — Squawka (@Squawka) December 5, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n