Brazil grapple with unsettled Neymar ahead of England game
EMOTIONAL World’s most expensive player is reportedly battling for stability after transfer from Barcelona to PSG
LONDON: It is with a raincloud hovering above the head of their talisman Neymar that Brazil are gearing up for their final game of 2017 against England at Wembley on Tuesday.
Though Neymar has scored 11 goals in 12 games since his world-record move to Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona, recent weeks have yielded stories of rift with team-mates and disagreements with coach Unai Emery. He cut a fragile figure in the press conference that followed Brazil’s 3-1 friendly win over Japan in Lille on Friday, wiping away tears as national coach Tite spoke out in his defence and then hurriedly leaving the room.
“When you are an idol, an example in the eyes of so many people, you have to be perfect and very often I am not,” Neymar said. “I am a young man of 25 with a lot to learn in football.”
Neymar joined PSG for 222 million euros ($259m) from Barcelona. But his recent performances have betrayed signs of unease. He was sent off in PSG’s 2-2 draw at Marseille after being shown a second yellow card for retaliation to a foul.
Against Japan, he converted and squandered a penalty and was booked for cuffing Hiroki Sakai -- he plays for Marseille -on the back of the head.
More worrying yet for PSG has been reports emanating from Brazil that Neymar has already expressed regret about leaving Barcelona. He has returned to Barca at least twice since the season started, twice being pictured on social media with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. He is even reported to have asked them how they would feel if he came back for good.
Neymar aside, Brazil have had little else to worry about, having finished 10 points clear in qualifying for next year’s World Cup following the dynamising mid-campaign appointment of Tite. He is expected to rotate his starting XI from the Japan game.