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"Barcelona", before starting negotiations with the "Santos" team, inquired with Lionel Messi about what he thinks about the purchase of Neymar, the newspaper "Marca" claims. According to the publication, the president of the Catalan club, Sandro Rosell, and the sports director, Andoni Zubizarreta, asked the Argentine how he would react if the team was supplemented by one of the most talented young players. It is said that "Barcelona" wanted to be as cautious as possible and avoid possible misunderstandings for two reasons. Firstly, of course, the possible price of the new acquisition was taken into account. Even before the negotiations with "Santos" ended, it was clear that a considerable amount of money would have to be paid for Neymar and it still wasn't clear if the Brazilian would fit properly into the team. Secondly, they wanted to find out L. Messi's reaction, because Neymar's arrival at "Barcelona" would create a lot of excitement and the young football talent would likely face a great deal of pressure and responsibility from the very first day. In addition, the purchase of the Santos forward would immediately generate media speculation about how the young Brazilian, who himself aspires to become the leader, would fit in with the team's veterans. According to the "Marca" publication, the leaders of "Barcelona" worried unnecessarily about L. Messi's reaction. The Argentine welcomed the news of negotiations for Neymar with joy and agreed that the team needed a powerful striker. It is said that L. Messi well understood that he cannot always be responsible for the results of "Barcelona" and that another footballer is needed who can single-handedly determine the outcome of a match. A similar conversation, according to reports, also took place with Neymar himself before the deal with the "Santos" team. The striker was immediately told that the undisputed leader of "Barcelona" continues to be L. Messi, and any unsportsmanlike competition will not be tolerated. The presentation ceremony of Neymar and his first press conference in Barcelona show that the Brazilian perfectly understands what is expected of him in the Catalan club, claims the Spanish capital's newspaper "Marca."
