What’s the story?
After an incredible turnaround by Barcelona against Paris Saint-Germain, Neymar’s FUT rating has jumped to 95 from his previous rating of 92. The Brazilian’s normal rating got a major upgrade after being handed an MOTM IF card from FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT). Futhead calculated an overall stats rating of 479, though the Brazilian star is still two points short of his 97 rated Team of The Year (TOTY) card from FIFA 16.
Neymar has been heralded by many as the next big superstar at the Catalan club if or when Lionel Messi calls it a day at Nou Camp. And his performance didn't do any harm to the reputation. He was also well rewarded in the virtual space with a massive boost in the FUT ratings.
In case you didn’t know...
In FIFA 17, Man of the Match Player cards are issued for tournaments and excellent performances and are indicated by an Orange item art. FUT Orange Man of the Match (MOTM) in-forms (IF cards) are awarded to players that perform extremely well in recent real-life football matches. They are usually only awarded for the bigger games.
These new orange in-form (IF cards) cards are available in Gold, Silver or Bronze packs in the store depending on their Overall (OVR) rating. They are normally available for 24 hours at around midnight (UK time).
The heart of the matter
PSG had blanked Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of the round-of-16 match in the UEFA Champions League. To advance to the quarterfinals, Barca needed to overturn the deficit in the return leg at Camp Nou. The tie was dismissed as dead wood as very few had expected them to progress to the next round.
However, Neymar and Co. proved the naysayers wrong, inflicting a massive 6-1 defeat on Unai Emery’s men. The 25-year old had a brilliant night as he scored twice to help his side progress to the next round with an aggregate score of 6-5.
The Parisians choked in an incredible atmosphere and it was a fitting gift to the outgoing Barcelona coach Luis Enrique. Neymar’s skilful performance was noticed by the entire football fraternity and FIFA 17 did not disappoint with their colossal upgrade in FUT ratings.
What’s next?
Several other Champions League stars were also handsomely rewarded for their performances in the week as EA Sports handed Barcelona’s last-gasp hero Sergi Roberto an upgraded card of 85. Sergio Ramos earned a 92 card, while Bayern Munich’s Arturo Vidal was given an 88 rated Man of The Match (MOTM) award.
It was an astounding week of European football and the gamers would be eager to lap up the MOTM cards which are available until midnight UK March 18th.
Sportskeeda’s take
A sensational night at Camp Nou saw Barcelona progress to the quarters in great style. They deserved the accolades for a top notch performance in a crucial tie. Amidst cries of unfair refereeing and other ancillary occurrences, Neymar would be a happy man to see his display well rewarded in the virtual world. At this juncture, this is a perfect opportunity for the Brazilian to announce himself as the next superstar of the modern football.
