Paulo Dybala was in attendance for the Clasico on Sunday night. The Palermo "Pibe d'Oro" snapped a selfie at the Camp Nou and posted it on his Twitter.
When a Lionel Messi impersonator prank-called him for Argentine radio station earlier this month, he had told the pretend Pulga: "I'd swim to Barcelona. After all, I'd only have to cross the Mediterranean."
His dream of playing alongside Messi would appear, at least in the short-term, to be more likely to happen with Argentina than Barcelona. A transfer ban means the La Liga leaders are unable to sign anyone until 2016 and besides acquiring another forward isn't a priority. Not when Luis Enrique has Neymar and Luis Suarez accompanying Messi.
The latest indications are that Dybala's entourage have instead expressed a preference to stay in Italy with Juventus, a club flush from the money they have already earned from the Champions League which could yet rise to €73.2 million upon qualification for the semifinals. They're apparently moving fast and occupying pole position.
Whether the 21-year-old's head has been turned or not by all the speculation, his performances have faded a little of late. Dybala hasn't scored and nor have Palermo in four games. He has gone 424 minutes without a goal. The last one came in a 2-1 defeat to Lazio in Rome.
His opponents that afternoon can lay claim to as promising a talent and one that at the moment is more in-form. For in the month before Christmas, a star was born. It shot through the night and is shining so bright as to even obscure Dybala's brilliance.
Felipe Anderson's glancing header against Verona at the weekend marked the ninth time he has found the back of the net in Serie A this season. "Sempre lui!" proclaimed Sky Italia's commentator. "It's always him!" And it set Lazio on course for a sixth straight win, a feat they haven't achieved in the league in almost eight years.
They have hit 14 goals in that run and young Felipao has been involved in no fewer than six of them. In gambling and basketball, there's a phenomenon known as the hot hand to describe when a player is on fire. In calcio, it's called the "piede caldo," the hot foot, and Anderson has had it since the beginning of December. Up until then he had started and finished only one game this season. His appearances from kickoff were limited to just three and his playing time averaged 40 minutes.
As had been the case with Dybala, particularly during his 405-day goal drought which lasted deep into the season when Palermo were in Serie B, judgement was rushed on Anderson, another "fenomeno" born in 1993. He was considered a flop. Anderson had needed time to adapt after joining for €8 million from Brazil's Santos the previous summer.
He touched down with quite the reputation. Alexandre Macia, a coach of their youth team, had insisted he was potentially better than another recent graduate of their academy, Neymar. Expectations were high and he didn't meet them. "It was very difficult at first," Anderson confessed to O Globo, "because I arrived with an ankle injury. The football was quicker and I was still recovering my full fitness.Tactically, it was also hard. In Italy they're strict on this. I think this is what Brazilians suffer most when they go to Europe."
There was a language barrier to breach and a culture shock to absorb too. "I didn't speak much Italian," Anderson admitted. "I did a few courses so I knew a bit before I got there but you have to be there to learn. When I went out for lunch or dinner on my own it was very complicated to order. I spent two months eating the same thing. I always asked for spaghetti carbonara and a fizzy drink. Then I had to diet to lose the weight I gained."
Once settled, integrated and in peak condition, Anderson seized his opportunity, which finally came when Antonio Candreva, then the leading assist-maker in Serie A, hobbled off clutching his thigh in Lazio's stalemate with Chievo in late November. The Italy international missed six weeks, and in the meantime Anderson blossomed.
He delivered the "coup de grace" to Varese in the Coppa Italia, then set up captain Stefano Mauri for the equaliser and scored the clincher against Parma at the Tardini to arrest Lazio's slide after three league games without a win. Mauri got served twice more in the 3-0 dismantling of Atalanta. Next, Inter did well to pick themselves up off the canvas after Anderson connected with a one-two at San Siro.
That performance on one of world football's great stages, "la Scala del Calcio," was some show. The first touch for his opener, which simultaneously drew the sting out of Stefan Radu's cross, took Inter captain Andrea Ranocchia out of the game and had enough backspin to bring the ball back into his path was world class. His second, an exquisitely executed volley, drew comparisons with Zinedine Zidane's against Bayer Leverkusen in 2002. "It was only a matter of time before he starting doing the exceptional things he does in training in competitive matches," Marco Parolo said.
The winter break didn't interrupt Anderson's stride. Parolo swept in one of his pull-backs against Sampdoria in their first game back after the New Year, and Anderson was merciless with them. Two minutes later he doubled Lazio's lead with a zinger from outside the area. Asked to explain his side's unexpected 3-0 defeat, only their second of the season in the league, Samp coach Sinisa Mihajlovic had no doubt. "Felipe Anderson played like Cristiano Ronaldo."
Consecration came in the Rome derby when, like against Inter, he had Lazio 2-0 up at half-time. The first came through one of the passes of the season, a scooped assist into the path of Mauri to break the deadlock, then he hit back with another shot drilled in from range.
Roma kicked him out the game. Replaced after 65 minutes, he wouldn't be seen again for a month on account of a battered ankle and compassionate leave to attend a family emergency. Anderson left for Brazil after scoring and/or assisting in five straight games, combining for 10 goals. Without him, Lazio lost to Napoli and Cesena. Even upon his return, they fell to Genoa.
At that stage, they were 10 points behind Roma. But now the Eagles are swooping down on them, their claws showing. The gap has closed to a single point. Lazio's attack is the second best in the league. They haven't scored this many at this stage since the 2000-01 campaign. Five players have more than five goals. And so much of that is owed to Anderson.
He curled one in and supplied Miroslav Klose in a 3-0 triumph at Sassuolo. Devastating against Torino, he pushed the ball past and went around centre-back Nikola Maksimovic as part of another doppietta. In all, he has been involved in 16 goals in his last 12 appearances.
"If he carries on playing with the same humility, he can become unmarkable like Ronaldo," said Pioli. His acceleration -- Lazio's in-house telemetrics insist he is the league's fastest player -- and that ease he displays in 1 vs. 1s instead calls to mind a young Kaka making his first steps at Milan, except with a greater sense for goal.
La Gazzetta dello Sport have got carried away. A graphic published last week depicted Anderson possessing the same tactical intelligence as Johan Cruyff, imagination as Zidane, burst of pace of Roberto Baggio, ball carrying ability of Kaka and dexterity of Cristiano.
He must be in Dunga's latest Brazil squad then, especially with the Copa America coming up? Alas, no. Anderson will representing the Under-21s over the next fortnight in preparation for the Olympics in Rio in 2016. Being the hero who leads Brazil to the one major honor they have never won, that elusive gold medal, is the dream.
Felipe Anderson extends his contract with Lazio until 2020. Combined for 15 goals in his last 11 games. 8 goals + 7 assists
- James Horncastle (@JamesHorncastle) March 21, 2015
What a coup for Lazio. Unlike Palermo who have been unable to get Dybala to extend beyond 2016, last week they announced Anderson has renewed until 2020. You have to commend their vision in signing Anderson in the first place and then re-signing him.
A tough negotiator, anyone who wants him will be made to sweat by owner Claudio Lotito. Particularly if Lazio qualify for the Champions League for the first time in seven years -- a reason for Anderson to remain in Rome -- and obtain access to its revenues which would enable them to resist indecent proposals.
The impression is that Anderson, aware of the troubles Erik Lamela and Stevan Jovetic have faced on taking their talents to the Premier League, is in no hurry to leave and is willing to listen to advice to put his development first and a big-money move second. The Eagles want him to learn to fly with them. Pioli has unclipped his wings and now Anderson is soaring.