Paquetá says new criticism of Neymar is false and disrespectful

Rio de Janeiro, 22 Mar Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paquetá, a French Lyon player, described Tuesday as false and totally disrespectful the criticism of a French journalist of his PSG player teammate Neymar, whom he accused that he “reached the limit of going to training drunk”. “It is even disrespectful to transmit information that is not true. Obviously they are not true,” Paqueta said at a virtual press conference he gave from the Brazilian national team's rally in Teresópolis, where Brazil is preparing for its last two matches for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, with Chile and Bolivia. Paquetá, one of the Canarinha players closest to Neymar, with whom he also matches in French football, said that the PSG attacker preferred to ignore these criticisms. “Some people say these things irresponsibly without knowing that they can end up affecting us. It is not possible that they believe in rumors that people make up and show them as if it were a totally true thing. I think Neymar is an excellent professional and I don't think he did that,” added Paqueta. In a television program, journalist Daniel Riolo, commentator for RMC Sport, said that Neymar is not committed to PSG nor does he have minimally professional behavior. “Neymar hardly trains, he arrives in a sorry state to training, to the limit of being drunk. Neymar is in a spirit of revenge with PSG. There is a total break between the club and the dressing room,” said the French journalist, in an accusation that has had a wide impact on the Brazilian press. The Brazilian attacker, who was recovering from injury, has been receiving harsh criticism from the French press since Real Madrid eliminated PSG in the European Champions League. Although he renewed his contract until 2025, the French press speculates on the likely departure of Naymar, who scored only five goals this season. Paquetá took advantage of the press conference to come to the defense of his teammate, who reached the concentration of the Brazilian national team this Tuesday after being called up again and after missing Canarinha's last matches due to injury. “I think you will always hear me say that Neymar is above all else a great person, a great professional, who has great talent and that he is the best player in the national team. And having him by the side is a privilege and makes us feel stronger,” he said. “Regardless of his timing and whether PSG is eliminated, they will always demand him. But he already recovered from the injury and came stronger to help us. I am sure he will do very well in the national team,” he added. In its last two matches of the World Cup qualifiers, although it still has a match with Argentina pending but with no definite date or place, Brazil will host Chile on Thursday at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro and next Tuesday will visit Bolivia in La Paz. Brazil, which has already secured its ticket to Qatar, is the undefeated leader of the South American qualifiers, with 39 points and a record of twelve wins and three draws. CHIEF

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