Neymar and Cavani are friends again, and PSG is toying with Ligue 1
There is nothing like a petty soccer spat. Nothing like a squabble between two multimillionaire stars. So when Neymar and Edinson Cavani argued over a free kick and a penalty kick two weeks ago, the soccer world wanted nothing more than to see the feud blow up.
So, of course, it did.
There were reports that Cavani stormed out of the stadium that night in frustration. Reports that Neymar unfollowed him on Instagram. Reports of dressing room rifts. Reports of a million euros dangled in front of Cavani to cajole him into ceding penalty-taking duties. (PSG fiercely denied those.)
And then the drama queens in all of us took over on Wednesday. Cavani scored a belter in the Champions League against Bayern Munich. Neymar also tallied in a 3-0 PSG romp. All anybody wanted to talk about was Neymar’s reaction to Cavani’s goal, which wasn’t exactly enthusiastic. Never mind the fact that the two were awesome together. Never mind the fact that they embraced after both goals.
PSG is so good that it is uninteresting. So good that we needed this to be a story. And to some extent, it definitely was. Likewise, it definitely no longer is.
Because an absolutely stunning development surfaced Saturday. Two grown men appear to have talked through their differences and realized that if only the can get along, they can be really, really, really good at soccer together.
Each is also world-class on his own, of course. Neymar was nice enough to let that be known early on against Bordeaux. This fifth-minute free kick is stupid and flawless:
This goal by Neymar is out of this world!#PSGBordeaux
— go90 Zone (@go90Zone) September 30, 2017
But it’s the second goal that spoke volumes. Kylian Mbappe sent Neymar driving at the Bordeaux defense with a slick flick. Neymar slotted in Cavani. Cavani beat the keeper with one touch. And he immediately pointed back at Neymar!
Cavani scores! He makes it 2-0 for PSG!#PSGBordeaux
— go90 Zone (@go90Zone) September 30, 2017
Look at that! Smiles! Fist pumps! Hugs!
Neymar and Cavani are friends again. In fact, their relationship is so good that Cavani let Neymar have a penalty later in the first half. Neymar converted …
So Neymar takes the penalty over Cavani, and he makes it 4-1 #PSGBordeaux
— go90 Zone (@go90Zone) September 30, 2017
… and immediately pointed back to his Uruguayan running mate!
Manager Unai Emery had hinted at a penalty rotation of sorts. Both members of the rotation appear to be on board.
The fearsome front line even let a fourth man in on their act. Julian Draxler – an expensive signing only last summer – started alongside Neymar, Cavani and Mbappe, and scored a stunning goal –PSG’s fifth of the first half:
Lolol PSG is up 5-1 at halftime. Safe to say the game is over #PSGBordeaux
— go90 Zone (@go90Zone) September 30, 2017
And Mbappe got his turn too:
MBAPPE gets in on the action for PSG, he puts them up 6-1 #PSGBordeaux
— go90 Zone (@go90Zone) September 30, 2017
Perhaps everybody in Paris is only getting along again because they’re getting along in soccer terms as well. But Saturday’s 6-2 victory was a pretty emphatic statement that the ego-driven drama, at least for now, has been put to bed.
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Henry Bushnell covers soccer – the U.S. national teams, the Premier League, and much, much more – for FC Yahoo and Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Question? Comment? Email him at henrydbushnell@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @HenryBushnell.