Neymar’s goal drought is leaving Barcelona’s fearsome MSN attacking trio running on two men
Brazilian has scored just six goals in all competitions this season compared to Lionel Messi's 25 and Luis Suarez's 15
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BARCELONA'S deadly MSN trio appears to be missing a point.
For the usually-prolific Neymar has played a lesser role to South American team-mates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez this season.
And the Brazilian, 24, has even been caught up by compatriot Rafinha - one year his junior.
Messi leads the way in terms of goals with 25 in all competitions while Suarez trails on 15.
Neymar has scored just six this campaign - ONE THIRD the amount he bagged at this point last year.
He went on to finish the season with 31.
The former Santos forward is enduring his worst run at the Nou Camp having failed to find the net in 11 games now.
Talks about his future at Barca, and a potential mega-money switch to Manchester United or Paris Saint-Germain, may be the cause to his rotten form - by his standards, at least.
The Red Devils have been courting the Samba superstar since as early as August 2015 when executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward flew out in an attempt to sign him.
It was also revealed last September Neymar rejected a £170million-a-year contract from PSG - as well as bumper bonuses of a private jet and even a chain of hotels.
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Barca boss Luis Enrique backed his misfiring winger to break his goal drought before Sunday's trip to Villareal.
He said: "Neymar looks really good.
"If he has demonstrated anything in his career it is his maturity and his ability to overcome tense situations.
"He is going to score a lot of goals, for sure. We just look at the positives and Neymar's performances have provided more positives than negatives. He is having a good season."
But his talented attacker, who failed to make the Fifa FIFPro World XI this year, could only fire blanks in front of goal at the El Madrigal Stadium during Barca's 1-1 draw.
Arguably, Neymar is having to play a more supporting role to accommodate Messi and Suarez, but confidence looks low in the Barcelona No11.
Against Villareal he squandered a golden chance to break his duck, firing straight at keeper Sergio Asenjo. An easy save.
Neymar was priced at £155m - second only to Messi (£163m) - by the CIES Football Observatory in December.
But the expectation that comes with being the world's second most expensive footballer may well have caused a stumbling block.