Neymar’s a superstar, not a cheat or a diver
SAYS JURGEN KLOPP
JURGEN KLOPP insisted Neymar is no cheat as Liverpool’s manager became an unlikely ally of the under-fire Paris Saint-Germain star. The Champions League returns tonight with a blockbuster game at Anfield as last season’s finalists host the French champions and all eyes will be on Neymar, whose reputation took a battering in the World Cup for his theatrical antics and simulation.
That reputation preceded the Brazilian last week when he was booked playing for his country in the United States, even though he had been persistently fouled.
Klopp, though, has instructed his players not to physically intimidate the world’s most expensive player and stressed he will not be singled out.
‘When I saw a few games at the World Cup I know people were talking about that when it looked like he made more of a situation than it was,’ Klopp said. ‘For me that is a completely normal reaction because players were really going for him and he wants to protect himself.
‘If an opponent gets a yellow card then he is much closer to a red card so I see it from that perspective. I thought it is smart that he saves himself. Everyone doesn’t have to be worried, we don’t go for him against us.
‘We play football and we want to win the ball, we don’t try to act in these kind of things; we try to avoid passes to him, try to avoid him winning challenges — which is a big job to do. I am not sure if it is 100 per cent possible to avoid his qualities. I am pretty sure it is not.
‘He is a fantastic footballer, an outstanding player.’
Yet this PSG team is filled with outstanding players and Klopp knows it. One by one he rattled off the names and highlighted each superstar’s quality. The more he analysed PSG, the more animated Liverpool’s manager became. This, his actions made clear, is no ordinary challenge.
‘I watched them last year and I watched them this year,’ said Klopp. ‘It is impressive. They are good. Really good and not only for Paris. Kylian Mbappe? Come on! What a World Cup he played. Neymar? We all know about his quality.
‘Angel Di Maria... Maybe he didn’t have the best time at Manchester United but all the rest of his career was outstanding. (Edinson) Cavani? An outstanding goal scorer... In the preparation, I have to make sure that we know about it. We have to respect them.’
Mbappe certainly has the German’s respect, as Liverpool enquired about him in the summer of 2017 when it became clear he was leaving Monaco. The glint in his eye when mentioning the 19year-old made clear his admiration.
This, however, was not Klopp preparing for impending doom. PSG might have a formidable forward line, arguably the most glitzy in world football, but it quickly became apparent that respect does not equate to fear.
‘I can’t prepare a team to face PSG without showing them the strengths of Paris,’ said Klopp. ‘But it’s quite difficult (for them) to prepare as they have never played against us. Us playing against them will look different to what they have faced so far this season. That’s the truth.’
There is little doubt that Neymar poses a huge threat to Liverpool’s ambitions of repeating their achievement of last season, when they got to the final in Kiev. But the squad is confident ahead of the Group C opener at Anfield and Mohamed Salah has targeted a League and European double.
In an interview with France Football, Salah said: ‘Last season, we eliminated Manchester City, then Roma. Each time it was incredible matches. We played against teams that claimed the title, and we still managed to reach the final.
‘So, of course we can do it again. I’m sure we can win it. You can even win both, the Champions League and the Premier League title. I do not want to put pressure on you, but yes, anything is possible!’
This game offers a chance for PSG head coach Thomas Tuchel to put right the memory of 2016, when his Borussia Dortmund team melted in a remarkable Europa League quarter-final, losing 4-3 in the final minute. He does not, however, fear the power of Anfield.
‘At Anfield you need a lot of experience and courage,’ said Tuchel. ‘In my opinion it can never be too early to have a challenge like this. It can bring out the best in us. We get to know each other in this pressure at this level.
‘You can never feel comfortable against Jurgen’s teams. You can never feel comfortable at Anfield. This atmosphere can bring the best from us.’