It must have been somewhat embarrassing for Gabi, Cani, Juanfran, Raul Garcia and co when Atletico Madrid teammate Mario Mandzukic committed the same felony they had so vehemently accused Neymar of just days earlier following their elimination from the Copa del Rey by Barcelona.

How awkward and untimely it must have felt to see their lanky Croatian teammate reprimanded by Eibar defender Lillo on two occasions before anyone in Spain had had a chance to forget the indignant criticism they’d hurled at Neymar in retaliation for the same alleged crime: showboating.

To be fair to the Atletico players, news transpired later that Mandzukic was reproached by his own teammates after the match, though the actual events on the pitch would suggest otherwise.

In case Mandzukic’s surprising displays of skill – a rabona and a neat roulette – hadn’t supplied irony enough, his colleague Saul Niguez followed suit with a move so filled with guile Neymar himself would have been proud to pull it off. Whether he realised it or not, Saul was essentially condoning Mandzukic’s actions and telling Lillo he had no business getting upset.

Three days earlier, Neymar had had the nerve to attempt a nutmeg against Garcia just moments after scoring the goal that had killed off any remaining hopes of Atletico advancing to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey. Faced with the unbearable scenario of having to endure another 45 minutes of torture in front of their fans, they let the Brazilian know right away they were not going to tolerate any party tricks.

Even the normally self-contained Fernando Torres got in a heated argument with Neymar at the half time whistle, just moments before Gabi was sent off for obscure reasons on the way to the dressing room.

Post-match outbursts by a number of Los Colchoneros players were quick to grab the headlines. The red-carded team captain, Gabi, emphasized the notion that Neymar “has a very peculiar style of playing, especially when his team is ahead”, adding: “There are certain gestures he makes only when he’s winning. At the end of the day no one likes to lose, and in these circumstances, in the heat of the moment, these things upset you.”

A national debate ensued, from which Neymar emerged the clear winner. In short, the alleged immorality of showboating was pitted against the dangers of physical aggression and the general consensus was that the prospect of a broken leg outweighs the mild humiliation suffered from a nutmeg.

Do not be fooled – Neymar’s football IQ is too high to plead ignorance regarding the offense his gestures would represent to a wounded Atletico side that night. Despite the avalanche of support the Brazilian has received from his Coach and teammates, as well as a number of sources as unlikely as former Real Madrid player and sporting director Jorge Valdano, and even Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo, make no mistake: Neymar is not innocent. Neither is he a victim.

He may be closer to a masochist than anything else – as anyone in Brazil will tell you, the harder you hit him, the more eager he’ll be to come right back and try to make you look silly with his ability.

With his fragile build, it may appear that Neymar’s skills are his only weapon. And though he has plenty of them, his self-assuredness, astuteness and fighting spirit may add up to just as much a strength as all his tricks combined.

Atletico Madrid are gradually learning this the hard way. The trademark intensity with which they play has inadvertently brought out the best in the young Brazilian. Neymar feels right at home amid the pushing and shoving, which likely brings him fond memories of his former duels in the Copa Libertadores, a tournament filled with aggression and cunning like no other.

The intensity that won Atletico many admirers last year has gone up a gear at times this season, often manifesting as over-aggression and labelled outright violence by their opponents. This excessive impetus is likely correlated to the fact that Neymar has scored five of Barcelona’s 10 goals against Los Colchoneros since his arrival at the Catalan club.

If we conclude there is some provocation to Neymar’s game after all, what then? Considering the growing influence of sports psychology and the increasing presence of professionals from this field among football coaching staffs, is it even relevant if Neymar chooses to apply his own brand of psychology to his advantage?

Rather than questioning the morality of it all, it might be a better use of our time to sit back and enjoy watching a 22-year-old blooming star not only out-dribble but also outfox his more seasoned counterparts by meticulously exterminating their focus and composure after enduring a physical beating.

And if the side led by former midfield general Diego Simeone – a master of the dark arts himself – is to revert their recent luck against Barcelona, it may be wise to take their aggressiveness down a notch the next time they face the Catalan giants, lest they inadvertently arouse Neymar’s pride again.

La Liga - Club News