Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
OK Celts fans, you can come out from behind the settee!
NEYMAR, MBAPPE & CO CUFF HOOPS IN PARIS
IT MIGHT have been a friendly in Paris but there’s still nae chance of Neymar making any pals at Parkhead.
The attacker is loved by PSG and Brazil fans but hated by just about everybody else on the planet – with Celtic right at the front of the queue.
He has been an arch enemy for the Hoops over the years and even in a bounce game like this he laps up playing the pantomime villain.
Celts got a bit of a chasing eventually last night but it wasn’t a morale shredding one by any stretch.
But – typically – it was their old foe at it again. That’s eight goals in seven games against Celtic with Barca and PSG, another nine assists and about 100 flashpoints that have driven Hoops fans up the wall.
Neymar flicked out at Nir Bitton, hit the deck any time anyone in green and white was near, and was taking the p*** after Neil Lennon gave him a blast for buying a foul.
Lennon’s men had bust a gut though.
The scoreline might have been sore but the performance was cause for some encouragement – before and after Neymar had left the stage at half-time.
It was David v Goliath, only Goliath has been on the steroids and hired Angelo Dundee as his trainer.
The front four cost £458m in a starting line-up built without any change out of £650m.
Meanwhile, Celtic’s starting line up came in at under £25m, which might be big dough in Scotland but it wouldn’t pay for one leg of Neymar’s diamondstudded tracksuits.
Celtic got off to a nightmare start with less than a minute on the clock, Neymar sublimely picking out Kylian Mbappe who brilliantly buried it before anyone could blink.
Celts responded well though when it could have got messy. They were comfortable in possession, maybe even starting to enjoy the ga... Ah. There’s another one, Neymar, who else?
Celtic were impressive at times and Christopher Jullien saw a header crash off the upright after Ryan Christie’s wicked free kick.
PSG’S third was a bit of a killer three minutes after the break as sub Herrara drilled through Bain at the near post.
Sarabia swept a sensational volley home after 69 minutes but the damage didn’t get any worse.
At least you only run in to these sides in the Champions League – which is where Celts are keen to be.