Neymar, Brazilian forward, has maintained that Lionel Messi, a club teammate, has nothing to prove to his detractors in his second season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

Messi scored 11 goals in 34 appearances during his dismal first season with PSG after joining from FC Barcelona. Compared to the 38 goals Barca scored the year before, this was fewer.

However, 10 of the 14 goals that the Argentine skipper scored came after the new year.

In his first competitive appearance of the 2022–2023 season on Sunday, the 35-year-old made an impression by scoring the first goal in PSG’s 4-0 Trophee des Champions victory over Nantes.

Neymar jumped to the defense of his teammate when asked if such performance indicated a new Messi at PSG.

Notable Quote

Neymar said:

“I don’t think so. I think people talk too much,” he said. “They don’t know what’s going on every day, what’s going on inside.

“Leo, it’s Leo. It’s still Leo, it doesn’t change. No, he continues to make the difference.”

“It is obvious that we hope that everything goes well for the three of us, for me, for Leo, for Kylian [Mbappe]. If the three of us are well, I’m sure it’s good for the team.”

Following Messi’s opening goal in Tel Aviv, Neymar scored twice, Sergio Ramos also had a goal, and PSG won their first trophy under Christophe Galtier.

Neymar is happy to have started the new season his sixth with PSG said:

“I’m satisfied. We had a very good match with the team,” he said. “It’s very important to start winning and it’s a match that ends in a trophy. Whatever happens, you have to win.”