Neymar to Real Madrid - but why?

It is rumoured that Santos star Neymar will join Spanish giants Real Madrid next offseason, finally consummating a courtship of two years. The Brazilian, recently tipped by Pele as the next "best player in the world", is thought to have agreed a transfer worth somewhere in the region of €53 million. The deal is likely to slap him firmly amongst the elite of footballing salaries.

Such powerful economic impetus for a move notwithstanding, it's worth asking why Neymar has (allegedly) chosen to sign for Real Madrid. The reasons he'd want to play for los blancos are obvious and plentiful: there are no larger clubs; though questions still remain about their level of debt, it's thought Real have the cash to fulfill Santos' expansive financial requests; they have the ability to glorify Neymar both fiscally and with fan-love; and reasonably expect multiple years of contention for the La Liga and Champions' League titles.

Though good reasons, they should all be dwarfed by one contrary reason: that Neymar will find it exponentially more difficult to realise his immense potential at Real than at many - perhaps any - other large clubs. His star burns bright, but will it continue to do so amongst so many others?

Courtesy: tntmagazine.com

Real's collection of attacking talent is probably the greatest in the world: from Cristiano Ronaldo, through Angel di Maria, Karim Benzema, Gonzalo Higuain, Kaka, Mesut Ozil - the list goes on. Neymar likely replaces Benzema or Higuain, but it's hardly a given. Also, competition for the "alpha dog" role will bring out either the best, or the worst in Ronaldo.

To quote a famous Time Lord, where better to hide a tree than a forest?

The Galactico model favoured by current Real Madrid president Florentino Perez acquires global superstars at exorbitant costs to in theory create an unstoppable sporting juggernaut powered by goals and replica jersey sales. It has been moderately successful, but recently inferior to Barcelona's homeslice talent. Certain galacticos have been successes; others ... less so.

Though football's list of richest clubs still includes Real, Barca, Juventus and the EPL's aristocracy - those now most readily reaching for their hip pockets are upstart clubs fuelled by natural resources like Anzhi Makhachkala, Manchester City and Paris Saint Germain. At any of the world's biggest and richest clubs, Neymar would be the feature attraction, allowed to develop and blossom into a player for the ages. Then he could move to "dream club" Real.

Cristiano Ronaldo needed time to develop into "the guy" at Manchester United; Messi only became fully appreciated after Ronaldinho exited the Camp Nou. Everywhere, except perhaps for at the Spanish giants, Neymar would get that time and opportunity.

Where better to shroud a star than amongst others?

The undeserved revisionism of Barcelona FC

It's popular assumed knowledge that this current incarnation of Barcelona are one of best teams in football history. In this case, popular assumed knowledge is correct: Barcelona are one of the all-time greats.

What they aren't though, is deserving of the revisionism that circulates in some - minority and usually Real-supporting - areas which suggests they are unworthy of such a place in the pantheon because they occasionally play up contact. Apparently, the greatness of their football is somehow lessened by acts of dubious exaggeration exacted by players such as Sergio Busquets and Pedro. While it's true that some facets of the Barca playing group are prone to simulation, the occasional cynical challenge and even the odd "holier-than-thou" attitude, this shouldn't overshadow the beauty of their passing game.

Let's not forget about it, either. Busquets, Dani Alves and Pedro all earned such reputations after their Oscar-winning performances against arch-enemies Los Merengues. Plus, we're not talking the Bad Boys either (this shows off too much of their basketball for my liking, but it was the best example I could find of their numerous tactical cheap shots) where they actually tried to physically intimidate their opposition. What Barcelona do, they do well - pass the ball and then move. When they don't have the ball, they harry their opponents until it's turned over. It's a high-energy style which produces fouls. They is, like Popeye, what they is.

From a personal standpoint, revisionism has taken on a whole new life over the last fifteen years. With the rapid inflation in visibility that the internet and digital media has provided, we have easy access to more accumulated (human, of course) knowledge than the Matrix and as such, we second guess ourselves - and popular opinion. Some cases involve two-dimensional objects/characters receiving a gratuitous third dimension. The worst cases of this occur when pop-culture villains are given a back-story - Exhibit A: The Star Wars Prequels and Exhibit B: the entire premise of the musical/book "Wicked". The prosecution rests.

Once and for all: I don't care where Darth Vader came from. Or the bloody Wicked Witch of the West. Making established villains into heroes just doesn't fly - they're better left two-dimensional.

By living in an age where we have so much information and ways to express it, we often look for subtext where there is none. Some characters are better left in two dimensions, because in three dimensions they just look silly. The reverse it true with the current irritating tendency to draw Barcelona FC two-dimensionally.

Apparently, some quarters their legacy should be changed to a team of whiners who happened to play good football. This, plainly and simply, is not true. They are a brilliant team which employs some players who are prepared to feign injury to gain a tactical advantage.

There's no doubt in my mind that Barcelona are the best I've seen. They have three of the best four and maybe five of the ten most influential players in the world. But they want to win and do so by making the most of opportunities - in front of goal, or in front of the ref. This doesn't mean they don't deserve their place in the all-time greats - find me a "pantheon" team who wouldn't do the same.

In any "football almanac" written fifty years from now they'll be remembered rightly for their offensive skill, not for diving. Those occasional "simulation" incidents definitely deserve mention, but let's not have a (relatively) small issue change our wholesale perception of such a great team. That some elements acted (badly) in such a high profile match as the Champions' League Semi-Finals doesn't make them The Beast. It does provide more well-rounded analysis, however.

This Barcelona team are brilliant. Flawed slightly, perhaps, in some players' willingness to exaggerate injuries. Let's remember their greatness, not change them into a "dirty" team just for the sake of a story, or to be different.

Image of Darth Vader courtesy: howzyerteeth.beacondeacon.com

Image of Sergio Busquets courtesy: 11x2.com

Real vs. Barca dream team debate

Sid Lowe, a correspondent for World Football Magazine, Sports Illustrated and The Guardian residing in Madrid since 2001 has recently compiled his "Teams of the Decade" for both Barcelona and Real Madrid. A respected voice - both in football commentary and in Spanish life in general - Lowe's teams and reasoning can be found here (Barcelona) and here (Real Madrid).

The teams are also listed here -

Barcelona: Victor Valdes, Juliano Belletti, Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique, Giovanni Van Bronckhorst, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Deco, Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto'o, Lionel Messi.

Real Madrid: Iker Casillas, Michel Salgado, Fernando Hierro, Ivan Helguera, Roberto Carlos, Steve McManaman, Claude Makelele, Zinedine Zidane, Raul, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Ronaldo (the Brazilian).

Whatever your preference - for name, styles or culture, there can be little doubt that any other "teams of the decade" would struggle to compete against the might of the two Spanish powerhouses. Cases can probably be made for the usual suspects Chelsea, Manchester United and the Milan powerhouses but even so any suggestion that they'd be able to better the Iberian powerhouses would be speculation at it's most optimistic.

So who do you think would win? Given Barca's propensity for home-grown talent it's likely that Los Blancos squad would have cost several times that of the Catalans. For mine, as impressive as the names are for Los Merengues, I can't look past Barcelona simply because the manner in which they've played for three seasons now is probably as high-quality as we've ever seen. With Real there remains the everpresent question: who's the main man? Would one football be enough?

We'd be curious to see who you think would triumph if both sides were to play a two-legged tie, home-and-away.