Neymar's Electric Barcelona Form Will Bring Trophies Back to Camp Nou

FC Barcelona’s rich history boasts legends such as Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Romario and Ronaldo—but it is another Brazilian who is currently setting the Camp Nou alight.

Neymar’s recent form has been nothing short of electric, with improvements in some key areas pushing the attacker to a new level. Could this personal development be the key to bringing silverware back to Catalonia?

Barca’s 3-2 Copa del Rey victory away at Atletico Madrid (4-2 on aggregate) took the win streak to seven in a row. Any perceived crisis for Luis Enrique’s men is now a memory, and it was another brace from Brazil’s captain which punctuated the mauling of last year’s La Liga champions.

Atletico midfielders Gabi and Cani criticised the match-winner’s style of play, as per Goal.com, but these are the comments of two players bitter from another defeat to their rivals:

Atletico captain Gabi branded the Brazilian "irritating" after the match, claiming the 22-year-old attempts to wind up his opponents throughout games.

And Cani has now fired a warning to the former Santos star, telling reporters on Wednesday: 'He'll have problems for his whole career. Neymar has a style of play. One day he'll have a problem as he did today, but if he likes it... 

'That's the way he plays.'

Whatever the home side’s reservations, WhoScored.com’s stats prove the hitman thoroughly deserved a Man of the Match award:

The superstar did not hit the heights expected of him in the 2013-14 season. The poster boy of Brazilian football seemed to feel an acute pressure as a World Cup on home turf loomed large in the summer of 2014. Neymar’s performances for his new club were good without ever being consistently great, with only flashes of the magic which defined his time at Santos.

Fast-forward to the 92nd minute of Barca’s 6-0 victory away at Elche on Saturday 24 January. With a two-goal haul already secured, Neymar zipped across the halfway line to lead a counter-attack. The weaving run that followed epitomized the combination of pace, skill and close control which have caused La Liga defences so many problems. Moreover, a glorious hat-trick beckoned.

Yet scoring was not on Neymar’s mind.

Two rapid glances to the left followed by a perfectly weighted pass to the far post, and Pedro swept home for Los Cules’ sixth.

This unselfishness demonstrated not only a team ethic vital for the functioning of any successful side but also illustrated a self-confidence which only arrives when an individual feels truly settled.

There are many examples of great players who have buckled under the pressure of a big-money transfer. A symptom of this is an eagerness to please which causes poor decision-making, often in the form of selfishness in front of goal.

Those problems are now behind the 22-year-old. In essence it feels like the boy from Sao Paolo is no longer gatecrashing the party but leading the dance along with Argentinian maestro Lionel Messi.

Neymar's physical toughness is another asset which has come to the fore. This was perfectly displayed in the priceless 3-1 La Liga victory over Atletico Madrid at the beginning of January.

In the match that may prove the turning point in Barca’s season, Neymar was treated brutally by the Atleti defenders. A tackle by Raul Jimenez drew blood from his ankle (seen in the footage below), but the forward continuously dusted himself off and overcame frustration.

Had Barcelona crumbled that night, manager Luis Enrique may no longer be in a job.

Taking big hits is certainly a requirement for the Brazil international, with statistics from Barcelona.com showing that Neymar has been fouled the most of any player in La Liga this season (72 times). This has resulted in 14 yellow cards for his aggressors.

The goals have been flowing too, with 21 in all competitions. This is an improvement on the 15 goals reaped last term, and with half the season still to play, this tally is sure to inflate.

So what does this surge in individual performance mean to Barcelona at the midway point?

Firstly, the seven games won in a row have changed the complexion of Spanish football this season. Neymar has scored seven goals in this period, even finding time to sit out the Elche game in the cup.

The two Copa del Rey quarter-final defeats of Atleti mean that the route to winning the trophy is wide-open—remember, Los Rojiblancos knocked out Real Madrid in the previous round. With only one point separating Barca and Real Madrid in the league (Real holds a game in hand), the La Liga title is certainly an aspiration.

A Champions League tie against faltering Manchester City in March means that continental glory is also in the club’s sights.

The effervescent Messi has certainly been equally vital in hauling the team out of their predicament, yet this level of performance is almost expected of the Argentinian. Neymar is now hitting this gold standard too, and the dynamic duo’s understanding is creating fireworks, as displayed in the wonderful combination to make it 4-0 against Elche:

The spectre of both the all-conquering Pep Guardiola team and La Decima-winning Real Madrid has cast a great shadow over the Camp Nou, but with Neymar now fulfilling his awesome potential, this could be a season to remember.

Once a club beset by crisis, the Catalan giants can look forward to a blockbuster finish to 2015.