LEARNING FROM BEST
From Back Page signed from Barcelona.
Silva said: “It’s just normal that training is hard. When you’ve got these type of guys in there with this technique and ability on the ball, it’s an impossible task to stop them every time.
“They have their own individual quality but Neymar’s speed is almost unstoppable.
“Marking him in training is improving me and that may come in handy because Celtic have some fast forwards.
“We know the Celtic team are very strong and powerful.
“They will also be very motivated to start their campaign at home and we need to focus.
“We know Celtic are a good team, we know how hard they are to beat at home and we expect a match with a lot of intensity.
“They will be very strong in closing us down, trying to stop us from playing. We analysed them on Monday morning.
“We expect a good game. We have great respect for Celtic who will be really difficult Champions League opponents.”
Silva and his team-mates have been installed as major contenders for the trophy after their summer spending splurge.
As well as Neymar, Kylian Mbappe has been captured with a fee of over £165m agreed to be paid to Monaco at the end of the season to make him the game’s most expensive teenager.
The French giants crashed out of the tournament at the last-16 stage to Barcelona in the previous season after losing the second leg 6-1 in the Nou Camp.
Silva’s team were 4-0 up from the first leg but the defender said: “What happened last season is already forgotten.
“We’ve prepared hard for the Champions League and we are very motivated.
“I don’t know if we are favourites but we should get close this year.
“With the players we’ve got we are aiming to go far. The atmosphere in the team is magnificent.
“If we stick together we can handle the pressure of expectation.”