I bet you crossed your eyebrows when you read the title, I mean like “WHAT? HOW?”, let’s find out.
8 March 2017
Barcelona vs. PSG, the return leg of the CL last 16, a match labeled as “Mission Impossible”. Barcelona lost the first leg in Paris 4-0, and was seeking a “Remontada”, and they did play a historical game back then, and won 6-1, 3 of those goals scored starting from the 88th minute to the 95th, just when everyone at the Camp Nou was losing hope.
The main star of this “7-minutes-show” was, NO, not Messi! It was Neymar. He scored 2 goals and made the assist for the 6th goal scored by Sergi Roberto. Neymar, apparently, excepted all the praise, deservedly, to be his, but what happened? The usual! Messi, and in particular, his picture in which he celebrated with the fans, became the center of the celebration. That’s probably when Neymar felt it! As long as he’s in Barcelona, playing alongside Messi, he won’t get the credit he deserves, no matter what he does! That’s when he made his decision that it’s time to leave. Now, he has that mega release clause, 222 million euros! Who would play that amount? None other than PSG and their owners, and so, Neymar joined the Parisians and Barcelona took the money. Let’s stop here a bit and move North and a little back in time.
15 October 2015
Liverpool came close to the PL title many times in the last 25 years (the date here is according to the year I’m talking about), and every time they stumble somehow, so, Liverpool’s admin decided to acquire a man who they think can finally make the dream come true. Jurgen Klopp.
Arriving on October 15, Klopp in his first press conference announced that he came to really make the dream come true, stating his famous quote “We must transform from doubters to believers”.
His first line-up at Liverpool, in a match against Tottenham, included the names of: Mignolet, Clyne, Skrtel, Sakho, Moreno, Lucas, Can, Lallana, Coutinho, Milner & Origi. You can easily see that “this is not a title contender material”, and yes, it wasn’t.
Klopp through the years transformed Liverpool, selling the dead sticks, and buying the “champions” material, players with the right mentality to work under him. From Mane to Salah, and giving the chance to some youngsters such as Trent Alexander-Arnold, the team transformed step by step to the team Klopp wants.
Now, let’s go back to Barca. After selling Neymar, Barca was on a panic-buying. They cashed the money from PSG, on Ousmane Dembele and Coutinho, fighting hard to sign those players in particular. Signed in the winter of 2018, with the knowledge he won’t play in the Champions League, Coutinho signed for Barcelona. A very bizarre “timing” for such a transfer with such a high fee, 120 million euros! Also leading Klopp, on the other hand, to change his strategy of play to 4-3-3 with a more dynamic midfield.
Liverpool already had a deal done with Virgil Van Dijk, who also arrived in the winter of 2018 from Southampton. Van Dijk was able to play in the Champions League, unlike the Brazilian.
And while Dembele & Coutinho had a very hard time at Barcelona between injuries for one player, and living in the shadows “again” of Messi, not being able to blend with the team, ending in him going out on loan, for the other, Liverpool used the money, and of course some extra cash, to buy the likes of Alisson and Fabinho.
The Brazilian duo, along with Van Dijk, formed the defensive spin for Liverpool, while the full-backs and the front trio were flying high causing havoc for every team in the Premier League, leading the team to end the 2018/19 season with 97 points, ONE point behind City (a historical PL season), and then becoming Champions of the 2019/20 season and realizing the club’s and the fans’ dream.
Between 15 October 2015 and 8 March 2017, pieces were probably falling into place, one after one, leading to the title win for Liverpool. So, yes, maybe after all, Neymar did “effect” Liverpool’s title win!
Freddie's Bench 