Neymar was on the end of high praise and heavy criticism during Paris Saint-Germain’s 2-1 defeat to Man City in the Champions League semi-final clash.
The Brazilian was at his best in the first-half as PSG led thanks to Marquinhos’ 15th-minute goal, before Man City turned the first leg tie on its head after the break on Wednesday night.
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Neymar’s touch and skill throughout the opening 45 minutes left Jack Grealish and James Maddison raving about him.
Leicester midfielder Maddison tweeted: “Is there a more enjoyable player to watch in the world than Neymar ? Not for me…”
And Aston Villa captain Grealish replied: “Scary how good he is.”
Kevin De Bruyne cancelled out Marquinhos’ opener with an inviting cross, which evaded every player in the box, and beat PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas in the 64th minute.
And Pep Guardiola’s men took the lead seven minutes later through Riyad Mahrez’s free-kick, which crept through the PSG wall.
AFP
Neymar’s impact lessened in the second-half as PSG were forced to play the remaining 13 minutes with ten men due to Idrissa Gueye’s dangerous tackle on Ilkay Gundogan.
Man City fan and former Oasis star Liam Gallagher called Neymar a ‘diver’ and an ‘embarrassing little c***’ as the match began to boil over.
Meanwhile, talkSPORT host Jamie O’Hara wanted a refund for Neymar’s second-half performance.
He tweeted: “I want a refund on the money I paid to watch Neymar. #secondhalfstinker.”
The first leg result was a blow for Neymar, who is looking to lead PSG to a first ever Champions League trophy this season.
He came close to achieving that last year when the French giants were beaten 1-0 by Bayern Munich in the final.
By leading PSG to a Champions League triumph, Neymar would be a very strong contender for the Ballon d’Or, an award that has alluded him during his illustrious career.
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