Neymar is not 100% fit: Coach

Paris, Oct. 3: Brazilian star Neymar and his coach Thomas Tuchel fully agreed Tuesday that noone at Paris Saint- Germain was “yet at 100 percent.”” I’m not at 100 percent of my fitness, noone is at 100 percent, it’s the start of the season and we haven’t played many matches,” said Neymar ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League home game against Red Star Belgrade.

“World football reaches its peak around February and March, with the biggest matches.

“I’m working, every match, every day, on improving both physically and technically,” Neymar added.

Asked about the foot injury in February which ended his PSG season and compounded his build- up to the World Cup in Russia, Neymar said it had made him “very sad.” Brazil’s elimination from the quarterfinals of the competition was also a source of “great frustration”.

But he added: “My injury, the World Cup, they are in the past.” Neymar has scored seven league goals already this season, including a brace in the 3- 0 win at Nice at the weekend which saw PSG make it a recordequalling eight straight victories at the start of the French campaign.

However, they lost 3- 2 at Liverpool in their Champions League Group C opener last month, making a win at home to Red Star vital ahead of a doubleheader against Napoli.

Tuchel said Tuesday his positive public statements after the loss at Anfield were not the same as his “unofficial” reaction.

“You can well imagine that the official reaction should not be the unofficial reaction,” he said.

“It was a very tough defeat for us, we did not play to our best. Certain criticism had to be made in the dressing room.

“It was only the first match in the group, so you