Neymar brushes off penalty controversy
paris — Neymar played down the latest debate surrounding whether he or Edinson Cavani should be taking penalties for Paris SaintGermain, after scoring a spot-kick against Montpellier on Saturday.
The world’s most expensive player was booed by the PSG home fans despite scoring four goals in an 8-0 thrashing of Dijon a fortnight ago, after taking a penalty that could have given Cavani the club’s all-time goalscoring record.
But after Cavani had broken Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s PSG record with the opener, the Brazilian was handed the ball by his strike partner to slot home a spot-kick for the first of his two goals in Saturday’s 4-0 win.
“The coach has chosen me to take the penalties,” Neymar told the Brazilian press.
“The coach decides that and I have to assume the responsibility. I know my responsibilities, I came here to take them on.”
Spanishmediareportedearlierthis week that the 25-year-old is unsettled in Paris and set to move to Real Madrid at the end of the season.
When asked by reporters after the victory if he was happy at the Parc des Princes, a disgruntled Neymar said “yeah, why?” and walked out of the mixed zone.
Although Neymar and Cavani have had their differences — they had an infamous spat over who should take a penalty in September — there is no doubt that they are a force to be reckoned with when in form.
The Uruguayan set up Neymar to complete his double late on against Montpellier, although he may have been going for goal himself. —