Is this the reason Lionel Messi didn’t take Barcelona’s second penalty?

WITH 90 minutes on the clock at the Nou Camp, Barcelona were awarded their second penalty of the night against Paris Saint-Germain.

And up stepped, not Lionel Messi as expected, but Neymar.

Barcelona’s No.10 had earlier scored from 12 yards to make it 3-0, but the second spot-kick went to his Brazilian team-mate.

Neymar scored and Sergi Roberto added another to complete a sensational turnaround and make it to the Champions League quarter-finals for the tenth season in a row.

But why did he take it and not Messi? Here are five theories…

Neither have the most expceptional record from the spot, and it’s unlikely Kevin Trapp had studied both of their recent efforts.

Messi is left footed and hit to the goalkeeper’s right.

While Neymar hit it to the German’s left with his right boot.

Trapp dived to his right on both occasions, but got nowhere near either.

Messi bottled it

If there’s one criticism of Messi, it is his record from the spot.

He has missed a staggering 19 penalties during normal time in his career — and famously sent his spot-kick over the bar in the shoot-out during the final of the Copa America Centenario.

Despite having been the star of the show for Argentina in the USA, when it came to scoring from 12 yards, it all went wrong.

Messi was so upset, he quit international football — only to later go back on his decision.

Neymar was on form

Despite Barcelona’s travails this season, Messi has produced some of the best football of his career.

Neymar, on the other hand, had struggled — until the turn of the year.

In 2017, the Brazilian has been simply sublime and is displaying some breathtaking football.

He had scored a stunning free-kick just minutes before the award and was probably high on adrenaline.

While Neymar has also missed several penalties, he usually scores when the pressure is really on.

Neymar had to make his bet

There are rumours Neymar had made a bet with his team-mates he would score twice against PSG.

Having scored the free-kick, he saw his opportunity and took it with aplomb.

Neymar is confident enough to put that kind of pressure on himself in such an intense moment.

Messi was expecting a pass

Perhaps Messi wanted to be on the receiving end of their Johan Cruyff-style penalty, but Neymar didn’t get the memo.

In 2016, the Argentine stepped up to take a spot-kick against Celta Vigo, but passed it to Luis Suarez to finish instead.

Barcelona players probably would have the arrogance to try that on this stage, too.

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