Neymar Jr's heartfelt comments: I miss Leo Messi
The Brazilian hailed Messi and Suarez and revealed advice the No 10 gave to him
Neymar Junior spoke to TV Globo in Paris, about his friendship with Lionel Messi.
The PSG winger left Barca in the summer of 2017 but has not thrived because of injury.
“Leo,” said Neymar, “was a very special guy for me at Barcelona. I always tell everyone this story.
“In the moment I needed his support the most, the man of the team, the best in the world came to me, took my hand and told me ‘come here, you have to be yourself, you have to be happy, you have to be the same lad you were at Santos, don’t be timid, don’t be afraid of me or anyone, I am here to help you’.”
Neymar admitted it took him a while to feel at his best in the Catalan capital.
“You arrive a bit timidly, afraid of making mistakes, playing your game is a bit more complicated, when he gave me his support, when he told me this was at half-time in a game. I was crying in the dressing room, I can’t play my football, nothing is coming off, that’s when I stopped and thought… If Leo is telling me this, why not? It was there I felt most calm, when we started to become friends.”
They are still pals today, says Neymar.
“We chat, joke, banter, even though we’re far away, he’s a guy who I miss every day, him and Suarez. Two guys I’ll remember the rest of my life, they are saved in football and in my heart, for all they did for me. They were my friends.
“I feel special affection for the two of them, it’s obvious that when Leo talks about it (my possible return) I have to breathe deeply and say that it was good while it lasted, I miss it, but today in Paris I have other challenges. I can’t say that it’s obvious that I miss the day to day life."
