The Neymar Effect : A fantasy future based on the world’s record transfer fee

Neymar posing with in his new PSG kit at the Parc de Princes. Photo: Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images Europe

Neymar’s world record transfer is sure to have a ripple effect on football for years to come.

However, if one were to speculate and build a fantasy world, what domino effect would this transfer really have on Europe’s top leagues?

For a select number of clubs, we can only imagine….

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The Transfer Window

Real Madrid have noticed that Barcelona has just been weakened and push to sign

Barca rise to their level

Messi and Barca In Victorium *** image courtesy of zimbio ***

For all their brilliance and dominance. For all their trophies and triumphs. For all the records they have broken. All the times they have made us gasp in breathlessness, stand in awe, stare in amazement and applaud in appreciation; one thing remained. That for this generation of Barcelona players, a truly outstanding comeback was missing from the narrative.

Not anymore.

All the recent doubts, the

Milan on the brink of eliminating Barca

Is the end nigh for Barcelona? * image courtesy of zimbio *

Massimiliano Allegri was right. The Italian manager set up his team in the most Italian of fashions. No, not catennacio, but the reason behind it. Defensive solidity, mixed with attacking efficiency. Through it, AC Milan was able to perform on Barcelona, to use the most overused of clichés, the Italian job.

It was Allegri who had been displeased in the pre-match press conference. He had stated how angry he was that for the past 10 days leading up to his side’s Round of 16 first leg Champions League home tie, all the talk was of how once again, Milan would be victims of the all conquering Catalans. Certainly, there was something almost bitter about how he stated that come match day, the rules would not change and the game would, like any other game, still start at 0-0.

But rather than look like a man with a rant, he actually was a man with a plan.

Arsenal 3-0 Milan: Gunners fall short

Arsenal came into this game needing to score 5 goals or more so as to overturn a 4 goal deficit. In the end, they put up a brave display but just lacked the crucial firepower to finish off the job.

The game was odd, not only because of the football on display, but also because of the personnel that turned up for both teams. Both teams put out sides that in normal circumstances they would not in a Champions League game. But with the realities of injuries and suspensions, both managers really had no choice and had to field what they thought was their strongest Starting XI’s.

Starting Line-ups

Arsenal were without the concussed Mikel Arteta and the injured Aaron Ramsey. They thus had to improvise by having Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain come into the side and play in midfield. Gervinho, who’d missed the first leg because of the African Cup of Nations, started out wide left. Other than these two changes, the rest of the side remained the same as from two weeks ago in the first leg.

Milan had problems in midfield as Kevin-Prince Boateng was injured while Massimo Ambrosini

Preview: Arsenal vs Milan

AC Milan go to the Emirates tomorrow night with one foot already in the quarter finals of the UEFA Champions League. Their 4-0 win at the San Siro two weeks ago seems to have done the job.

Arsenal will however take solace from the fact that on two occasions recently, Milan have been on the wrong end of outrageous comebacks. In 2004, they were 4-1 up