Mario Balotelli scored his 16th Ligue 1 goal of the season on Sunday in Nice’s 2-1 defeat to Marseille, but the 27-year-old Italian’s personal renaissance at the club may be at an end.
Neymar is reportedly back in Paris today, and while he’s not expected to return to action immediately, there’s still hope he can play in PSG’s final league game, away at Caen. Neymar has been out injured since the end of February after fracturing his fifth metatarsal and flying back to Brazil to have it surgically repaired and treated.
“The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. Much that once was is lost; for none now live who remember it.” -What middle-aged soccer fans will be saying come 2040
Perhaps the most pathetic news of the week was Neymar missing Paris Saint-Germain’s resounding, title-clinching 7-1 victory over rival Monaco on Sunday — the 273 million dollar man preferring to play online poker in Brazil rather than celebra
Timothy Weah, the son of former Ballon d’Or winner George Weah, made his senior debut for Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday, coming on as a 79th minute substitute in the club’s victory over Troyes in Ligue 1 play. Timothy just celebrated his 18th birthday on Feb. 22, and the native of New York City almost snatched a goal on his first appearance.
In the 77th minute of PSG’s routine 3-0 victory over Marseille Sunday night, a seemingly innocuous moment led to Neymar remaining on the ground while play continued around him. 10 seconds later, with Neymar still writhing in agony and in clear discomfort, PSG played the ball out so their Brazilian star could receive treatment.
Neymar was then stretchered off the field while crying inconsolably. For many, the world’s most expensive player had clearly just suffered a serious injury (perhaps a broken ankle), calling into question his participation at the World Cup.
Neymar’s performance against Real Madrid — for all the end product it obviously lacked — did little to quell the notion that he's the world’s best dribbler. He managed 13 successful dribbles against Madrid, more than any other player has completed in a Champions League game this season.
With three months still remaining in Europe’s major leagues, four of the five most-watched competitions are pretty much already decided. In Germany, Bayern Munich have ostensibly been crowned champions with an 18-point lead over their nearest rivals. In England and France, it would be shocking to see Manchester City and PSG throw away their respective 13-point and 11-point advantages. Spain is tighter, but Barcelona comfortably sit nine points clear of Atletico Madrid.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar share a birthday: February 5. They do not celebrate in the same way. Ronaldo drinks alcohol like Donald Trump, which is to say he never touches the stuff. But the Neymar birthday party in Paris on Sunday was just what you’d expect from the most playful man in football.