Paris Saint-Germain&#39;s future with&nbsp;Neymar&nbsp;looks good said coach Unai Emery on Wednesday (August 23) after training in preparation for the latest La Ligue game against Saint-Etienne.

The Spanish coach praised <a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/neymar-dazzles-on-home-debut-psg-thump-toulouse-6-2-19235">the newly-acquired Brazilian striker</a> performances since his arrival. He has already scored three goals in his two league appearances.

Asked about the Champions&#39; League group draw, Emery said the European championship is one of the main motivations for the club, and that the goal this year was to become one of the best teams in the world.

On the domestic championship, Saint-Etienne represents the first meaningful test for the team, Emery also said. St Etienne has a maximum nine points from three games, along with PSG and Monaco.

It has not all been plain sailing for&nbsp;Neymar&nbsp;since his move. It was reported on Tuesday that Barcelona is suing him for 8.5 million euros ($10.00 million) for breach of contract. The club says they want him to return the bonus he was paid when he signed a new five-year deal just nine months before joining PSG.

The Spanish coach praised the newly-acquired Brazilian striker performances since his arrival. He has already scored three goals in his two league appearances

Paris Saint-Germain's future with Neymar looks good said coach Unai Emery on Wednesday (August 23) after training in preparation for the latest La Ligue game against Saint-Etienne. The Spanish coach praised the newly-acquired Brazilian striker performances since his arrival. He has already scored three goals in his two league appearances. Asked about the Champions' League group draw, Emery said the European championship is one of the main motivations for the club, and that the goal this year was to become one of the best teams in the world. On the domestic championship, Saint-Etienne represents the first meaningful test for the team, Emery also said. St Etienne has a maximum nine points from three games, along with PSG and Monaco. It has not all been plain sailing for Neymar since his move. It was reported on Tuesday that Barcelona is suing him for 8.5 million euros ($10.00 million) for breach of contract. The club says they want him to return the bonus he was paid when he signed a new five-year deal just nine months before joining PSG.

PSG's future good with Neymar: Coach

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu insisted no player is bigger than the Catalan giants on Monday in the wake of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/football-neymar-signs-record-breaking-264-million-deal-with-psg-18572" target="_blank">Neymar&#39;s world record 222 million euro ($264 million) move to Paris Saint-Germain</a>.

Bartomeu and his board are under pressure to wisely reinvest the huge sum, which more than doubled the previous record for a transfer fee, before the transfer window closes on August 31.

&quot;No player is above Barca,&quot; Bartomeu told the world congress of Barca supporters groups.

&quot;You know that Neymar formed part of the success of our club, but Neymar is now history. He wanted to go. It was his decision although we did everything in our hands for him to stay.&quot;

Barca were powerless to stop Neymar leaving after PSG met the buyout clause in the Brazilian&#39;s contract, which he had signed just last year.

However, Bartomeu defended himself from criticism that the club should have insisted on inserting a much higher buyout clause in that deal to fend off PSG&#39;s millions.

Neymar&#39;s clause rose from 200 to 222 million from July 1 and would have jumped to 250 million had he entered the third year of the five-year deal.

&quot;We foresaw that he could leave in the future, that is why we raised his buyout clause in the new contact,&quot; added Bartomeu.

&quot;Receiving this money allows us to face the future with guarantees to strengthen the team.

&quot;When the doubts over his future began we were calm because his decision would be a good one

&quot;If he stayed we would maintain a great player and if he went, obviously paying his clause, we had the guarantee of being able to bring new players.&quot;

Barca have been linked with a series of potential replacements for Neymar with Liverpool&#39;s Philippe Coutinho heading their wish list.

Yet, Bartomeu promised to be act with &quot;prudence&quot; despite having to deal in a transfer market characterised by hyperinflation due to booming television rights deals.

&quot;The 222 million euros that we received for Neymar Jr will be administered with prudence, rigour and serenity,&quot; he said.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu insisted no player is bigger than the club

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu insisted no player is bigger than the Catalan giants on Monday in the wake of Neymar's world record 222 million euro ($264 million) move to Paris Saint-Germain. Bartomeu and his board are under pressure to wisely reinvest the huge sum, which more than doubled the previous record for a transfer fee, before the transfer window closes on August 31. "No player is above Barca," Bartomeu told the world congress of Barca supporters groups. "You know that Neymar formed part of the success of our club, but Neymar is now history. He wanted to go. It was his decision although we did everything in our hands for him to stay." Barca were powerless to stop Neymar leaving after PSG met the buyout clause in the Brazilian's contract, which he had signed just last year. However, Bartomeu defended himself from criticism that the club should have insisted on inserting a much higher buyout clause in that deal to fend off PSG's millions. Neymar's clause rose from 200 to 222 million from July 1 and would have jumped to 250 million had he entered the third year of the five-year deal. "We foresaw that he could leave in the future, that is why we raised his buyout clause in the new contact," added Bartomeu. "Receiving this money allows us to face the future with guarantees to strengthen the team. "When the doubts over his future began we were calm because his decision would be a good one "If he stayed we would maintain a great player and if he went, obviously paying his clause, we had the guarantee of being able to bring new players." Barca have been linked with a series of potential replacements for Neymar with Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho heading their wish list. Yet, Bartomeu promised to be act with "prudence" despite having to deal in a transfer market characterised by hyperinflation due to booming television rights deals. "The 222 million euros that we received for Neymar Jr will be administered with prudence, rigour and serenity," he said.

'Neymar not bigger than Barca'

Brazilian soccer star Neymar who completed a world record &nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/football-neymar-signs-record-breaking-264-million-deal-with-psg-18572">222 million euros ($264 million) transfer from Barcelona to PSG</a> appeared in his first press conference in Paris and declared the move was &quot;one of the most difficult decisions&quot; of his life.

The former Barcelona striker said, &quot;I thank all my teammates at Barca for their friendship. I was very happy there for four years but I felt it was time to move on.&quot;

&quot;It was a tense time, thinking about what I should do in my life. I have left behind a lot of friends, but things go very fast in football,&quot; he said.

&quot;In Barcelona, I had adapted well to the city and the team. I had friends there and it has not been easy,&quot; the 25-year-old Brazil superstar admitted at PSG&#39;s Parc des Princes press conference.

Neymar&#39;s move would mean he would earn nearly 30 million euros net per year at PSG, but he said he&nbsp;followed his heart while making the decision to play for PSG.

&quot;I have never been motivated by money. I always follow my heart. I regret that people think that and I thank PSG for believing in my potential,&quot; he said.

PSG are set to host newly promoted <a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/neymar-pledges-trophy-haul-after-psg-transfer-18573">Amiens at the Parc des Princes on the opening day </a>of the new Ligue 1 season, and Neymar declared he was ready to take up the challenge on Day-1 of the season.

&quot;I always want to play, so I am ready to do so tomorrow. I have trained in pre-season. I stopped for two days, but I am ready, I&#39;ve seen the pitch and I want to put the PSG shirt on and play.&quot;

When asked about supporters feelings who felt the Brazilian &quot;betrayed&quot; them, Neymar said: &quot;At no point did I lack respect to the supporters or the club.&quot;

PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi who accompanied Neymar at the press conference&nbsp;said the world record transfer fee of $264million will more than double within two years.

&quot;There are not two Neymars in the world. I would love for us to meet in two years and see what his value will be compared to today. At least the double.&quot;

Neymar's move would mean he would earn nearly 30 million euros net per year at PSG

Brazilian soccer star Neymar who completed a world record 222 million euros ($264 million) transfer from Barcelona to PSG appeared in his first press conference in Paris and declared the move was "one of the most difficult decisions" of his life. The former Barcelona striker said, "I thank all my teammates at Barca for their friendship. I was very happy there for four years but I felt it was time to move on." "It was a tense time, thinking about what I should do in my life. I have left behind a lot of friends, but things go very fast in football," he said. "In Barcelona, I had adapted well to the city and the team. I had friends there and it has not been easy," the 25-year-old Brazil superstar admitted at PSG's Parc des Princes press conference. Neymar's move would mean he would earn nearly 30 million euros net per year at PSG, but he said he followed his heart while making the decision to play for PSG. "I have never been motivated by money. I always follow my heart. I regret that people think that and I thank PSG for believing in my potential," he said. PSG are set to host newly promoted Amiens at the Parc des Princes on the opening day of the new Ligue 1 season, and Neymar declared he was ready to take up the challenge on Day-1 of the season. "I always want to play, so I am ready to do so tomorrow. I have trained in pre-season. I stopped for two days, but I am ready, I've seen the pitch and I want to put the PSG shirt on and play." When asked about supporters feelings who felt the Brazilian "betrayed" them, Neymar said: "At no point did I lack respect to the supporters or the club." PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi who accompanied Neymar at the press conference said the world record transfer fee of $264million will more than double within two years. "There are not two Neymars in the world. I would love for us to meet in two years and see what his value will be compared to today. At least the double."

I have never been motivated by money, always follow my heart: Neymar

With the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/football-neymar-signs-record-breaking-264-million-deal-with-psg-18572" target="_blank"> transfer of football phenomenon Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain</a>, Qatar is hitting back at its Gulf rivals with a high-profile soft power play.

Paris Saint-Germain -- owned by sanctions-hit Qatar -- have signed Brazilian forward Neymar from Barcelona for a world-record transfer fee of 222 million euros (around $264 million), more than doubling the previous record.

&quot;The announcement of Neymar&#39;s transfer to PSG was piloted among the high ranks in Qatar as a sort of communications strategy that would overshadow the debate around all other considerations, namely terrorism,&quot; said Mathieu Guidere, an expert in the geopolitics of the Arab world.

&quot;For days now, nobody has mentioned the negative -- it&#39;s all about the Neymar transfer.&quot;&nbsp;

The transfer comes as Qatar faces its worst political crisis in decades, with Saudi Arabia leading a four-state bloc that suspended all ties with Doha last month over accusations the emirate had close ties to Islamist extremist groups and Saudi Arabia&#39;s regional rival Iran.&nbsp;

Qatar has denied the allegations, arguing that the sanctions aim to bring the gas-rich emirate to its knees.

&#39;International soft power&#39;

On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain pulled their ambassadors from Qatar, ordered all Qataris to return home and banned Qatar from using their ports or airspace.

The Saudi-led bloc later publicly released a 13-point list of demands as a condition for the end of the sanctions.

The list includes the closure of Qatari broadcast giant Al-Jazeera, which the bloc accuses of hate speech and encouraging extremism over its airing of the tapes of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, killed in a US operation in 2011.

Qatar, the world&#39;s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG), has risen as a key broker over the past two decades in the multiple conflicts and clashes of the Arab world.

The tiny emirate has also leveraged power through massive investments in real estate abroad, including hotels, as well as in aviation, media and professional sports.

In his first and only speech since the start of the crisis, Qatar&#39;s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, openly said he would be turning to &quot;sources of soft power at the international level&quot;.

With the Neymar transfer, Doha may be looking to cash in its cache of soft power.

&quot;This is a soft power stunt. Qatar needs to demonstrate to the world... that, despite all the allegations, Qatar is the most resilient country in the Middle East by far,&quot; said Andreas Krieg, a political risk analyst at King&#39;s College London.

&quot;Having the best player in the world shows the rest of the world that if Qatar is determined, they still have the largest assets to draw from and if needed they will use the money that they have to further their agenda,&quot; Krieg told AFP.

&#39;At whatever price&#39;

Qatar&#39;s ties to international football go back several years and the Gulf state is to host the 2022 World Cup.

International sports broadcaster beIN SPORTS was a subsidiary of Al-Jazeera, and between 2013 and June 2017, FC Barcelona athletes wore jerseys bearing the Qatar Airways logo.

&quot;For the time being, Qatar&#39;s opponents are paralysed by this circumvention strategy, as none of them has that level of media leverage in the field of international sports,&quot; said Guidere.

French government spokesman Christophe Castaner on Thursday called the expected transfer a &quot;communications operation&quot;, but said Qatar must still be &quot;transparent&quot; over any support for extremism.

On the flipside, one argument backing Neymar&#39;s decision to leave Barca, on top of reportedly tripling his wages, is to move out of the shadow of Lionel Messi.

If the Neymar transfer goes through, it would more than double the previous record of 105 million euros ($124 million) that Manchester United paid Juventus last year for France&#39;s Paul Pogba.

The transfer will hardly dent Qatar&#39;s budget.

Qatar has moved to boost business with the West since the start of the Gulf crisis, which analysts says threatens the unity of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council.&nbsp;

Doha has signed two major contracts in recent weeks, both military: a $12 billion acquisition deal to purchase F-15 fighters from the United States and a $6 billion deal for navy vessels from Italy.

&quot;The per capita reserves they have are the greatest in the world,&quot; said Krieg.

The cost of the Neymar transfer &quot;sends a very strong signal to the sporting world and a very strong signal of defiance towards the UAE and Saudi Arabia,&quot; he added.

&quot;They wanted this player and they used the money to buy him at whatever price.&quot;

A four-state bloc, led by Saudi Arabia, had suspended all ties with Doha last month over accusations the emirate had close ties to Islamist extremist groups

With the transfer of football phenomenon Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain, Qatar is hitting back at its Gulf rivals with a high-profile soft power play. Paris Saint-Germain -- owned by sanctions-hit Qatar -- have signed Brazilian forward Neymar from Barcelona for a world-record transfer fee of 222 million euros (around $264 million), more than doubling the previous record. "The announcement of Neymar's transfer to PSG was piloted among the high ranks in Qatar as a sort of communications strategy that would overshadow the debate around all other considerations, namely terrorism," said Mathieu Guidere, an expert in the geopolitics of the Arab world. "For days now, nobody has mentioned the negative -- it's all about the Neymar transfer." The transfer comes as Qatar faces its worst political crisis in decades, with Saudi Arabia leading a four-state bloc that suspended all ties with Doha last month over accusations the emirate had close ties to Islamist extremist groups and Saudi Arabia's regional rival Iran. Qatar has denied the allegations, arguing that the sanctions aim to bring the gas-rich emirate to its knees. 'International soft power' On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain pulled their ambassadors from Qatar, ordered all Qataris to return home and banned Qatar from using their ports or airspace. The Saudi-led bloc later publicly released a 13-point list of demands as a condition for the end of the sanctions. The list includes the closure of Qatari broadcast giant Al-Jazeera, which the bloc accuses of hate speech and encouraging extremism over its airing of the tapes of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, killed in a US operation in 2011. Qatar, the world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG), has risen as a key broker over the past two decades in the multiple conflicts and clashes of the Arab world. The tiny emirate has also leveraged power through massive investments in real estate abroad, including hotels, as well as in aviation, media and professional sports. In his first and only speech since the start of the crisis, Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, openly said he would be turning to "sources of soft power at the international level". With the Neymar transfer, Doha may be looking to cash in its cache of soft power. "This is a soft power stunt. Qatar needs to demonstrate to the world... that, despite all the allegations, Qatar is the most resilient country in the Middle East by far," said Andreas Krieg, a political risk analyst at King's College London. "Having the best player in the world shows the rest of the world that if Qatar is determined, they still have the largest assets to draw from and if needed they will use the money that they have to further their agenda," Krieg told AFP. 'At whatever price' Qatar's ties to international football go back several years and the Gulf state is to host the 2022 World Cup. International sports broadcaster beIN SPORTS was a subsidiary of Al-Jazeera, and between 2013 and June 2017, FC Barcelona athletes wore jerseys bearing the Qatar Airways logo. "For the time being, Qatar's opponents are paralysed by this circumvention strategy, as none of them has that level of media leverage in the field of international sports," said Guidere. French government spokesman Christophe Castaner on Thursday called the expected transfer a "communications operation", but said Qatar must still be "transparent" over any support for extremism. On the flipside, one argument backing Neymar's decision to leave Barca, on top of reportedly tripling his wages, is to move out of the shadow of Lionel Messi. If the Neymar transfer goes through, it would more than double the previous record of 105 million euros ($124 million) that Manchester United paid Juventus last year for France's Paul Pogba. The transfer will hardly dent Qatar's budget. Qatar has moved to boost business with the West since the start of the Gulf crisis, which analysts says threatens the unity of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council. Doha has signed two major contracts in recent weeks, both military: a $12 billion acquisition deal to purchase F-15 fighters from the United States and a $6 billion deal for navy vessels from Italy. "The per capita reserves they have are the greatest in the world," said Krieg. The cost of the Neymar transfer "sends a very strong signal to the sporting world and a very strong signal of defiance towards the UAE and Saudi Arabia," he added. "They wanted this player and they used the money to buy him at whatever price."

After Arab states blockade, Qatar hits back with Neymar transfer

Brazilian superstar Neymar has pledged to spark a trophy glut at Paris Saint Germain after agreeing to a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/football-neymar-signs-record-breaking-264-million-deal-with-psg-18572" target="_blank">five-year deal on a world record 222 million euro ($264 million) transfer from Barcelona.</a>

The 25-year-old will earn a mind-boggling 30 million euros ($35.5 million) a year in Paris but insists he will prove value for money for the ambitious but under-performing Qatari-owned French side.

&quot;I am extremely happy to join Paris Saint-Germain,&quot; said Neymar.

&quot;Since I arrived in Europe, the club has always been one of the most competitive and most ambitious. And the biggest challenge, what most motivated me to join my new teammates is to help the club to conquer the titles that their fans want.&nbsp;

&quot;Paris Saint-Germain&#39;s ambition attracted me to the club, along with the passion and the energy this brings. I played four seasons in Europe and I feel ready to take the challenge.&nbsp;

&quot;From today, I will do everything I can to help my new teammates, to open up new horizons for my club and to bring happiness to its millions of supporters around the world.&quot;

PSG said that Neymar will be unveiled at a press conference at the club&#39;s Parc des Princes at 1130GMT on Friday.

He will then be presented to fans at the same ground at 1345GMT on Saturday before the season-opening Ligue 1 fixture against promoted Amiens.

PSG wasted no time in pressing Neymar&#39;s commercial value by announcing that shirts bearing his name will be on sale from 0800GMT Friday at the club&#39;s megastore on the city&#39;s iconic Champs Elysees.

Football legend Pele congratulated Neymar on his move, telling his successor in the famed Brazilian number 10 shirt: &quot;Good luck for your new challenge&quot;.

&quot;Paris is a beautiful city and one of my favourites in the world,&quot; three-time World Cup winner Pele wrote on Twitter.

The transfer is more than double the previous world record set by Manchester United&#39;s capture of Paul Pogba from Juventus last year for 105 million euros, leaving many commentators aghast at the rampant inflation in football transfer fees.

Leading coaches such as Arsenal&#39;s Arsene Wenger and Manchester United&#39;s Jose Mourinho lamented that the move could cause even greater inflation in transfer fees and player wages.

&quot;It also looks like the inflation is accelerating,&quot; said Wenger, whose 21 years at Arsenal have been characterised by prudent spending.

&quot;It&#39;s beyond calculation and beyond rationality.&quot;

&nbsp;&#39;A state signing&#39;

However, in the French capital there is huge excitement at PSG having landed a star name to finally make them feared among European football&#39;s elite with even French president Emmanuel Macron enthused.

&quot;It adds attractiveness. Yes, it&#39;s good news,&quot; said Macron.

&quot;Neymar to PSG -- the transfer of the century&quot;, splashed Le Parisien&#39;s front page on Thursday with the first five pages devoted to his impending arrival.

The mood is understandably more sombre in Barcelona where attention has turned to who the Catalans can sign to replace Neymar in the month before the transfer window closes.

Neymar&#39;s Brazilian international teammate Philippe Coutinho of Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund&#39;s Ousmane Dembele have both been linked.

There is also scepticism at the role played by PSG&#39;s owners Oryx Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) at a time of political crisis for the energy-rich state which has been boycotted by its Gulf neighbours in recent months and will play host to the World Cup in 2022.

Spanish newspaper El Mundo described the move as a &quot;state signing.&quot;

But whilst La Liga protests at losing one of its biggest stars, Barca&#39;s players have continued to wish their now former teammate well.

&quot;My friend I wish you the best in everything that comes!!!&quot; Luis Suarez posted on Instagram alongside a picture of the two hugging.

&quot;Also thank you for your support, for everything that I learned with you and for the unique moments that we spent together!!!! Keep like this and never change love you little bro.&quot;

The transfer is more than double the previous world record set by Manchester United's capture of Paul Pogba from Juventus last year for 105 million euros

Brazilian superstar Neymar has pledged to spark a trophy glut at Paris Saint Germain after agreeing to a five-year deal on a world record 222 million euro ($264 million) transfer from Barcelona. The 25-year-old will earn a mind-boggling 30 million euros ($35.5 million) a year in Paris but insists he will prove value for money for the ambitious but under-performing Qatari-owned French side. "I am extremely happy to join Paris Saint-Germain," said Neymar. "Since I arrived in Europe, the club has always been one of the most competitive and most ambitious. And the biggest challenge, what most motivated me to join my new teammates is to help the club to conquer the titles that their fans want. "Paris Saint-Germain's ambition attracted me to the club, along with the passion and the energy this brings. I played four seasons in Europe and I feel ready to take the challenge. "From today, I will do everything I can to help my new teammates, to open up new horizons for my club and to bring happiness to its millions of supporters around the world." PSG said that Neymar will be unveiled at a press conference at the club's Parc des Princes at 1130GMT on Friday. He will then be presented to fans at the same ground at 1345GMT on Saturday before the season-opening Ligue 1 fixture against promoted Amiens. PSG wasted no time in pressing Neymar's commercial value by announcing that shirts bearing his name will be on sale from 0800GMT Friday at the club's megastore on the city's iconic Champs Elysees. Football legend Pele congratulated Neymar on his move, telling his successor in the famed Brazilian number 10 shirt: "Good luck for your new challenge". "Paris is a beautiful city and one of my favourites in the world," three-time World Cup winner Pele wrote on Twitter. The transfer is more than double the previous world record set by Manchester United's capture of Paul Pogba from Juventus last year for 105 million euros, leaving many commentators aghast at the rampant inflation in football transfer fees. Leading coaches such as Arsenal's Arsene Wenger and Manchester United's Jose Mourinho lamented that the move could cause even greater inflation in transfer fees and player wages. "It also looks like the inflation is accelerating," said Wenger, whose 21 years at Arsenal have been characterised by prudent spending. "It's beyond calculation and beyond rationality." 'A state signing' However, in the French capital there is huge excitement at PSG having landed a star name to finally make them feared among European football's elite with even French president Emmanuel Macron enthused. "It adds attractiveness. Yes, it's good news," said Macron. "Neymar to PSG -- the transfer of the century", splashed Le Parisien's front page on Thursday with the first five pages devoted to his impending arrival. The mood is understandably more sombre in Barcelona where attention has turned to who the Catalans can sign to replace Neymar in the month before the transfer window closes. Neymar's Brazilian international teammate Philippe Coutinho of Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund's Ousmane Dembele have both been linked. There is also scepticism at the role played by PSG's owners Oryx Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) at a time of political crisis for the energy-rich state which has been boycotted by its Gulf neighbours in recent months and will play host to the World Cup in 2022. Spanish newspaper El Mundo described the move as a "state signing." But whilst La Liga protests at losing one of its biggest stars, Barca's players have continued to wish their now former teammate well. "My friend I wish you the best in everything that comes!!!" Luis Suarez posted on Instagram alongside a picture of the two hugging. "Also thank you for your support, for everything that I learned with you and for the unique moments that we spent together!!!! Keep like this and never change love you little bro."

Neymar pledges trophy haul after PSG transfer

Neymar&#39;s world record move to Paris Saint-Germain was completed Thursday when the French club confirmed the Brazilian superstar had signed a five year-deal, earning him an estimated 30 million euros ($35.5 million) a year.

The deal was signed just hours after the 25-year-old paid off his 222 million euro ($264 million) buyout clause to Barcelona.

&quot;I am extremely happy to join Paris Saint-Germain,&quot; said Neymar.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/neymar-transfer-crisis-hit-qatars-soft-power-play-18575">Also </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/neymar-transfer-crisis-hit-qatars-soft-power-play-18575">read:</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/neymar-transfer-crisis-hit-qatars-soft-power-play-18575">&nbsp;Neymar transfer crisis-hit Qatar&#39;s &#39;soft power play&#39;</a>

&quot;Since I arrived in Europe, the club has always been one of the most competitive and most ambitious. And the biggest challenge, what most motivated me to join my new teammates is to help the club to conquer the titles that their fans want.&nbsp;

&quot;Paris Saint-Germain&#39;s ambition attracted me to the club, along with the passion and the energy this brings. I played four seasons in Europe and I feel ready to take the challenge.&nbsp;

&quot;From today, I will do everything I can to help my new teammates, to open up new horizons for my club and to bring happiness to its millions of supporters around the world.&quot;

PSG said that Neymar will be unveiled at a press conference at the club&#39;s Parc des Princes at 1130GMT on Friday.

He will then be presented to fans at the same ground at 1345GMT on Saturday before the season-opening Ligue 1 fixture against promoted Amiens.

PSG wasted no time in pressing Neymar&#39;s commercial value by announcing that shirts bearing his name will be on sale from 0800GMT Friday at the club&#39;s megastore on the city&#39;s iconic Champs Elysees.

The transfer is more than double the previous world record set by Manchester United&#39;s capture of Paul Pogba from Juventus last year for 105 million euros, leaving many commentators aghast at the rampant inflation in football transfer fees.

Leading coaches such as Arsenal&#39;s Arsene Wenger and Manchester United&#39;s Jose Mourinho lamented that the move could cause even greater inflation in transfer fees and player wages.

&quot;It also looks like the inflation is accelerating,&quot; said Wenger, whose 21 years at Arsenal have been characterised by prudent spending.

&quot;It&#39;s beyond calculation and beyond rationality.&quot;

&nbsp;Pele says &#39;good luck&#39;

However, in the French capital there is huge excitement at PSG&#39;s Qatari-backed project having landed a star name to finally make them feared among European football&#39;s elite with even French president Emmanuel Macron enthused.

&quot;It adds attractiveness. Yes, it&#39;s good news,&quot; said Macron.

&quot;Neymar to PSG -- the transfer of the century&quot;, splashed Le Parisien&#39;s front page on Thursday with the first five pages devoted to his impending arrival.

The mood is understandably more sombre in Barcelona where attention has turned to who the Catalans can sign to replace Neymar in the month before the transfer window closes.

Neymar&#39;s Brazilian international teammate Philippe Coutinho of Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund&#39;s Ousmane Dembele have both been linked.

There is also scepticism at the role played by PSG&#39;s owners Oryx Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) at a time of political crisis for the energy-rich state which has been boycotted by its Gulf neighbours in recent months and will play host to the World Cup in 2022.

Spanish newspaper El Mundo described the move as a &quot;state signing.&quot;

But whilst La Liga protests at losing one of its biggest stars, Barca&#39;s players have continued to wish their now former teammate well.

&quot;My friend I wish you the best in everything that comes!!!&quot; Luis Suarez posted on Instagram alongside a picture of the two hugging.

&quot;Also thank you for your support, for everything that I learned with you and for the unique moments that we spent together!!!! Keep like this and never change love you little bro.&quot;

Football legend Pele congratulated Neymar on his world record move, telling his successor in the famed Brazilian number 10 shirt: &quot;Good luck for your new challenge&quot;.

&quot;Paris is a beautiful city and one of my favourites in the world,&quot; three-time World Cup winner Pele wrote on Twitter.

Earlier Thursday, Spain&#39;s football league threatened to stall the saga by initially refusing to accept the cheque presented by Neymar&#39;s representatives at its Madrid headquarters.

La Liga president Javier Tebas had accused the French club of breaching UEFA&#39;s financial fair play rules.

Clubs can be sanctioned by European football&#39;s governing body for making a loss of more than 30 million euros over a three-year period.

However, UEFA insisted the move will not automatically trigger a failure to comply with FFP regulations.

He will earn $35.5 million a year in Paris

Neymar's world record move to Paris Saint-Germain was completed Thursday when the French club confirmed the Brazilian superstar had signed a five year-deal, earning him an estimated 30 million euros ($35.5 million) a year. The deal was signed just hours after the 25-year-old paid off his 222 million euro ($264 million) buyout clause to Barcelona. "I am extremely happy to join Paris Saint-Germain," said Neymar. Also read: Neymar transfer crisis-hit Qatar's 'soft power play' "Since I arrived in Europe, the club has always been one of the most competitive and most ambitious. And the biggest challenge, what most motivated me to join my new teammates is to help the club to conquer the titles that their fans want. "Paris Saint-Germain's ambition attracted me to the club, along with the passion and the energy this brings. I played four seasons in Europe and I feel ready to take the challenge. "From today, I will do everything I can to help my new teammates, to open up new horizons for my club and to bring happiness to its millions of supporters around the world." PSG said that Neymar will be unveiled at a press conference at the club's Parc des Princes at 1130GMT on Friday. He will then be presented to fans at the same ground at 1345GMT on Saturday before the season-opening Ligue 1 fixture against promoted Amiens. PSG wasted no time in pressing Neymar's commercial value by announcing that shirts bearing his name will be on sale from 0800GMT Friday at the club's megastore on the city's iconic Champs Elysees. The transfer is more than double the previous world record set by Manchester United's capture of Paul Pogba from Juventus last year for 105 million euros, leaving many commentators aghast at the rampant inflation in football transfer fees. Leading coaches such as Arsenal's Arsene Wenger and Manchester United's Jose Mourinho lamented that the move could cause even greater inflation in transfer fees and player wages. "It also looks like the inflation is accelerating," said Wenger, whose 21 years at Arsenal have been characterised by prudent spending. "It's beyond calculation and beyond rationality." Pele says 'good luck' However, in the French capital there is huge excitement at PSG's Qatari-backed project having landed a star name to finally make them feared among European football's elite with even French president Emmanuel Macron enthused. "It adds attractiveness. Yes, it's good news," said Macron. "Neymar to PSG -- the transfer of the century", splashed Le Parisien's front page on Thursday with the first five pages devoted to his impending arrival. The mood is understandably more sombre in Barcelona where attention has turned to who the Catalans can sign to replace Neymar in the month before the transfer window closes. Neymar's Brazilian international teammate Philippe Coutinho of Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund's Ousmane Dembele have both been linked. There is also scepticism at the role played by PSG's owners Oryx Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) at a time of political crisis for the energy-rich state which has been boycotted by its Gulf neighbours in recent months and will play host to the World Cup in 2022. Spanish newspaper El Mundo described the move as a "state signing." But whilst La Liga protests at losing one of its biggest stars, Barca's players have continued to wish their now former teammate well. "My friend I wish you the best in everything that comes!!!" Luis Suarez posted on Instagram alongside a picture of the two hugging. "Also thank you for your support, for everything that I learned with you and for the unique moments that we spent together!!!! Keep like this and never change love you little bro." Football legend Pele congratulated Neymar on his world record move, telling his successor in the famed Brazilian number 10 shirt: "Good luck for your new challenge". "Paris is a beautiful city and one of my favourites in the world," three-time World Cup winner Pele wrote on Twitter. Earlier Thursday, Spain's football league threatened to stall the saga by initially refusing to accept the cheque presented by Neymar's representatives at its Madrid headquarters. La Liga president Javier Tebas had accused the French club of breaching UEFA's financial fair play rules. Clubs can be sanctioned by European football's governing body for making a loss of more than 30 million euros over a three-year period. However, UEFA insisted the move will not automatically trigger a failure to comply with FFP regulations.

Neymar completes record-breaking $264 million move to PSG

Neymar is expected to arrive in Paris on Thursday to finalise his world record 222 million euro ($260 million) move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain, which will earn him around 30 million euros ($35.5 million) a year.

The summer&#39;s longest-running transfer saga, which this week saw the 25-year-old tracked from the United States to China to the Middle East, back to Barcelona to say goodbye before a swift detour to Porto where he was thought to have undergone a medical, will end in the French capital with new teammates already queuing up to welcome him.

Argentine midfielder Javier Pastore is already set to surrender his symbolic number 10 shirt to his fellow South American at the Parc des Princes, where Neymar could be unveiled to fans on Saturday evening when PSG open their new Ligue 1 season against Amiens.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/i-love-you-loads-messis-farewell-message-to-neymar-18520" target="_blank">Also read: Messi&#39;s farewell message to Neymar</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/neymar-set-to-join-french-club-paris-saint-germain-reports-18494" target="_blank">Also read: Neymar set to join PSG</a>

&quot;I want him to feel comfortable and happy from day one,&quot; Pastore told Cadena SER radio.

On Wednesday, Barcelona admitted defeat in convincing Neymar to stay at the Camp Nou where he has played since 2013.

The player travelled to Porto by private jet from Barcelona surrounded by his entourage, including his father and agent Neymar Sr, after saying goodbye to his Barca teammates.

Among that party was Wagner Ribeiro, an advisor to the player, who claimed PSG would pay his 222 million euro ($260 million) buyout clause in the &quot;coming hours&quot;.

That would more than double the current transfer record set by Paul Pogba&#39;s 105.2 million euro ($111 million) move to Manchester United last year.

Media reports suggested that Neymar had gone to Porto, where PSG sporting director Antero Henrique had worked until recently, to undergo a pre-transfer medical.

Neymar has been tempted to Paris by an astronomical offer that would reportedly see his wages tripled to 30 million euros a year after tax.

However, on the field he also faces the challenge of stepping out of the shadow of five-time World Player of the Year Lionel Messi to try and prove himself as the world&#39;s best.

&quot;It was a huge pleasure having shared all those years with you, my friend @neymarjr,&quot; Messi posted on Instagram alongside a montage displaying some of the pair&#39;s finest moments together.

Messi &#39;loves&#39; Neymar 
&quot;I wish you lots of luck in this new stage in your life. See you soon tkm,&quot; he added. &quot;Tkm&quot; stands for &quot;te quiero mucho&quot; (I love you loads).

&quot;Thanks brother. I will miss you man,&quot; Neymar replied.

Winning the Champions League for a first time is the dream driving PSG&#39;s owners Oryx Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) to fund a deal that could herald the start of a new era at the elite level of European football.

Since QSI&#39;s takeover in 2011, PSG have failed to make it beyond the quarter-final stage - most notably blowing a 4-0 first-leg lead to lose 6-1 to a Neymar-inspired Barcelona in the last 16 of last season&#39;s competition in March.

Prising Neymar from the grip of Barca would truly announce PSG&#39;s presence as a contender for the likes of Barca, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich to fear.

Neymar has formed one of the deadliest strike partnerships in football history with Messi and Luis Suarez over the past three seasons.

Together they have won two La Liga titles, a Champions League and three Spanish Cups, whilst Neymar has scored 105 goals and provided 80 assists in just 186 games.

However, his four-year spell in Spain has also been overshadowed by the murky transfer deal which brought him to Barcelona from Santos in 2013.

He and his parents as well as Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu face charges of fraud and corruption in an ongoing case brought by DIS, a Brazilian investment company.

DIS owned 40 percent of the players&#39; rights at the time of the deal and believe they were deliberately cheated out of their real share due to the complex structure of the transfer.

Neymar could be unveiled to Paris Saint-Germain fans on Saturday evening when PSG open their new Ligue 1 season against Amiens

Neymar is expected to arrive in Paris on Thursday to finalise his world record 222 million euro ($260 million) move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain, which will earn him around 30 million euros ($35.5 million) a year. The summer's longest-running transfer saga, which this week saw the 25-year-old tracked from the United States to China to the Middle East, back to Barcelona to say goodbye before a swift detour to Porto where he was thought to have undergone a medical, will end in the French capital with new teammates already queuing up to welcome him. Argentine midfielder Javier Pastore is already set to surrender his symbolic number 10 shirt to his fellow South American at the Parc des Princes, where Neymar could be unveiled to fans on Saturday evening when PSG open their new Ligue 1 season against Amiens. Also read: Messi's farewell message to Neymar Also read: Neymar set to join PSG "I want him to feel comfortable and happy from day one," Pastore told Cadena SER radio. On Wednesday, Barcelona admitted defeat in convincing Neymar to stay at the Camp Nou where he has played since 2013. The player travelled to Porto by private jet from Barcelona surrounded by his entourage, including his father and agent Neymar Sr, after saying goodbye to his Barca teammates. Among that party was Wagner Ribeiro, an advisor to the player, who claimed PSG would pay his 222 million euro ($260 million) buyout clause in the "coming hours". That would more than double the current transfer record set by Paul Pogba's 105.2 million euro ($111 million) move to Manchester United last year. Media reports suggested that Neymar had gone to Porto, where PSG sporting director Antero Henrique had worked until recently, to undergo a pre-transfer medical. Neymar has been tempted to Paris by an astronomical offer that would reportedly see his wages tripled to 30 million euros a year after tax. However, on the field he also faces the challenge of stepping out of the shadow of five-time World Player of the Year Lionel Messi to try and prove himself as the world's best. "It was a huge pleasure having shared all those years with you, my friend @neymarjr," Messi posted on Instagram alongside a montage displaying some of the pair's finest moments together. Messi 'loves' Neymar "I wish you lots of luck in this new stage in your life. See you soon tkm," he added. "Tkm" stands for "te quiero mucho" (I love you loads). "Thanks brother. I will miss you man," Neymar replied. Winning the Champions League for a first time is the dream driving PSG's owners Oryx Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) to fund a deal that could herald the start of a new era at the elite level of European football. Since QSI's takeover in 2011, PSG have failed to make it beyond the quarter-final stage - most notably blowing a 4-0 first-leg lead to lose 6-1 to a Neymar-inspired Barcelona in the last 16 of last season's competition in March. Prising Neymar from the grip of Barca would truly announce PSG's presence as a contender for the likes of Barca, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich to fear. Neymar has formed one of the deadliest strike partnerships in football history with Messi and Luis Suarez over the past three seasons. Together they have won two La Liga titles, a Champions League and three Spanish Cups, whilst Neymar has scored 105 goals and provided 80 assists in just 186 games. However, his four-year spell in Spain has also been overshadowed by the murky transfer deal which brought him to Barcelona from Santos in 2013. He and his parents as well as Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu face charges of fraud and corruption in an ongoing case brought by DIS, a Brazilian investment company. DIS owned 40 percent of the players' rights at the time of the deal and believe they were deliberately cheated out of their real share due to the complex structure of the transfer.

Neymar expected in Paris Thursday for world-record move

Neymar&#39;s record-breaking 222 million euros ($263 million) transfer from Barcelona to Paris St Germain is set to be completed this week with the French club poised to pay his release clause.

Neymar&#39;s agent Wagner Ribeiro was quoted on Spanish radio as saying PSG would pay the fee specified in the player&#39;s Barcelona contract and his client was en route to finalise the deal.

The fee is more than twice the current transfer world record that was set when Paul Pogba moved last year from Juventus to Manchester United for a 105 million euros.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/i-love-you-loads-messis-farewell-message-to-neymar-18520" target="_blank">Read:</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/i-love-you-loads-messis-farewell-message-to-neymar-18520" target="_blank"> Messi&#39;s &#39;I love you loads&#39; farewell message to Neymar</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/neymar-expected-in-paris-thursday-for-world-record-move-18524" target="_blank">Read: Neymar expected in Paris Thursday</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/neymar-set-to-join-french-club-paris-saint-germain-reports-18494" target="_blank">Read: Neymar set to join Paris Saint-Germain</a>

&quot;They (PSG) are going to pay Neymar&#39;s (buyout) clause today so that he can be presented at the weekend,&quot; Ribeiro told Spanish radio station Cadena COPE. &quot;They (Neymar and his father) are in the air now.&quot;

The overall package will become the most expensive investment ever in a player with several media outlets reporting that Neymar is expected to sign a five-year contract worth more than 550,000 euros a week.

A completed deal could set off a chain reaction of signings before the transfer window closes at the end of the month with Barcelona having plenty of money to commit to a replacement.

The striker only arrived back in Spain on Tuesday after trips to China and the Middle East and the move would complete a hectic few days in which Neymar&#39;s heavily trailed exit has inched closer.

Events moved swiftly on Wednesday when Barcelona released a statement announcing that the 25-year-old had informed them of his intention to leave, and confirming the amount of his buy-out clause.

Read FC Barcelona&#39;s statement <a href="https://www.fcbarcelona.com/football/first-team/news/2017-2018/comunicat-fc-barcelona-neymar-jr" target="_blank">here</a>

&quot;The player Neymar Jr, accompanied by his father and agent, has informed FC Barcelona this morning of his decision to leave the club in a meeting held at the club&rsquo;s offices,&quot; Barcelona said in a statement.

&quot;The club refer to the buy-out clause of his existing contract which as of 1 July totals 222 million euros.&quot;

Earlier Neymar arrived at the club&#39;s training ground to tell team mates he was moving to Paris, Catalan radio RAC1 reported.

The Brazilian striker left the training area minutes later, it said, with the club confirming on Twitter that he had been given permission not to train.

Neymar&#39;s departure would end a four-year stay at the club, where he formed a formidable strike force with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

Messi reacted to his team mate&#39;s imminent move by posting on his Instagram account: &quot;It was a great pleasure to have shared all these years with you, my friend @naymarjr. I wish you much luck in this new stage of your life. Be seeing you.&quot;

In October, Neymar signed a new contract until 2021 with the buy-out clause raised.

For a while it seemed that the deal might stall over concerns about Financial Fair Play.

In an interview published on Wednesday, the president of the national football league, Javier Tebas, said the league would not accept payment by PSG to trigger the release clause. It would potentially be in breach of UEFA Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules, he told Spanish sports newspaper AS.

Under the fair play rules, a club&#39;s wage bill must not exceed 70 percent of its revenue.

UEFA&#39;s FFP project leader Andrea Traverso was last week quoted by Italian newspaper Gazetta dello Sport as saying PSG were currently following the rules.

UEFA told Reuters on Wednesday that no complaint had been received about PSG, adding that European football&#39;s governing body would not block any potential deal in advance.

&quot;UEFA will look into the details of this transfer in due course to ensure PSG are compliant with FFP requirements,&quot; the UEFA statement said.

&quot;The transfer of Neymar to PSG will have an effect on the club finances over several years but the impact of such an operation cannot be judged in advance, notably as PSG could well sell several players for a significant amount.

&quot;We shall therefore only make calculations at the end and make sure that they respect the rules.&quot;

PSG are one of the world&#39;s richest clubs following their 2012 takeover by Qatar Sports Investments, an arm of Qatar&#39;s sovereign wealth fund, which has transformed their fortunes.

PSG&#39;s 2015/16 revenue came to 521 million euros, according to Deloitte&#39;s Football Money League report issued in January.

A PSG spokesman declined to comment.

Neymar signed for Barcelona from Brazilian side Santos for 57.1 million euros in 2013, although it was later revealed the cost was closer to 100 million euros.

Neymar's agent Wagner Ribeiro was quoted on Spanish radio as saying PSG would pay the fee specified in the player's Barcelona contract and his client was en route to finalise the deal

Neymar's record-breaking 222 million euros ($263 million) transfer from Barcelona to Paris St Germain is set to be completed this week with the French club poised to pay his release clause. Neymar's agent Wagner Ribeiro was quoted on Spanish radio as saying PSG would pay the fee specified in the player's Barcelona contract and his client was en route to finalise the deal. The fee is more than twice the current transfer world record that was set when Paul Pogba moved last year from Juventus to Manchester United for a 105 million euros. Read: Messi's 'I love you loads' farewell message to Neymar Read: Neymar expected in Paris Thursday Read: Neymar set to join Paris Saint-Germain "They (PSG) are going to pay Neymar's (buyout) clause today so that he can be presented at the weekend," Ribeiro told Spanish radio station Cadena COPE. "They (Neymar and his father) are in the air now." The overall package will become the most expensive investment ever in a player with several media outlets reporting that Neymar is expected to sign a five-year contract worth more than 550,000 euros a week. A completed deal could set off a chain reaction of signings before the transfer window closes at the end of the month with Barcelona having plenty of money to commit to a replacement. The striker only arrived back in Spain on Tuesday after trips to China and the Middle East and the move would complete a hectic few days in which Neymar's heavily trailed exit has inched closer. Events moved swiftly on Wednesday when Barcelona released a statement announcing that the 25-year-old had informed them of his intention to leave, and confirming the amount of his buy-out clause. Read FC Barcelona's statement here "The player Neymar Jr, accompanied by his father and agent, has informed FC Barcelona this morning of his decision to leave the club in a meeting held at the club’s offices," Barcelona said in a statement. "The club refer to the buy-out clause of his existing contract which as of 1 July totals 222 million euros." Earlier Neymar arrived at the club's training ground to tell team mates he was moving to Paris, Catalan radio RAC1 reported. The Brazilian striker left the training area minutes later, it said, with the club confirming on Twitter that he had been given permission not to train. Neymar's departure would end a four-year stay at the club, where he formed a formidable strike force with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. Messi reacted to his team mate's imminent move by posting on his Instagram account: "It was a great pleasure to have shared all these years with you, my friend @naymarjr. I wish you much luck in this new stage of your life. Be seeing you." In October, Neymar signed a new contract until 2021 with the buy-out clause raised. For a while it seemed that the deal might stall over concerns about Financial Fair Play. In an interview published on Wednesday, the president of the national football league, Javier Tebas, said the league would not accept payment by PSG to trigger the release clause. It would potentially be in breach of UEFA Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules, he told Spanish sports newspaper AS. Under the fair play rules, a club's wage bill must not exceed 70 percent of its revenue. UEFA's FFP project leader Andrea Traverso was last week quoted by Italian newspaper Gazetta dello Sport as saying PSG were currently following the rules. UEFA told Reuters on Wednesday that no complaint had been received about PSG, adding that European football's governing body would not block any potential deal in advance. "UEFA will look into the details of this transfer in due course to ensure PSG are compliant with FFP requirements," the UEFA statement said. "The transfer of Neymar to PSG will have an effect on the club finances over several years but the impact of such an operation cannot be judged in advance, notably as PSG could well sell several players for a significant amount. "We shall therefore only make calculations at the end and make sure that they respect the rules." PSG are one of the world's richest clubs following their 2012 takeover by Qatar Sports Investments, an arm of Qatar's sovereign wealth fund, which has transformed their fortunes. PSG's 2015/16 revenue came to 521 million euros, according to Deloitte's Football Money League report issued in January. A PSG spokesman declined to comment. Neymar signed for Barcelona from Brazilian side Santos for 57.1 million euros in 2013, although it was later revealed the cost was closer to 100 million euros.

Neymar on verge of record-breaking move to PSG: Agent

Barcelona soccer player Neymar Jr arrived at the team&#39;s training ground in Madrid on Wednesday to tell his teammates there that he is moving to French team Paris Saint Germain, Catalan radio RAC1 has reported.

The Brazilian striker left the training area minutes later, the radio station said.

Meanwhile, BCC reported manager Ernesto Valverde did not allow the Brazilian striker to train and told him to &quot;sort out his future&quot;.

The Brazilian also told his teammates at training that &quot;he wanted to leave the Spanish club, &quot;BBC reported.

Neymar&#39;s move to&nbsp;Paris Saint Germain from Barcelona could be worth $220million which will be a world record transfer fee for any player in the history of the game.

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Neymar has told his teammates at training that "he wanted to leave the Spanish club", BBC reported.

Barcelona soccer player Neymar Jr arrived at the team's training ground in Madrid on Wednesday to tell his teammates there that he is moving to French team Paris Saint Germain, Catalan radio RAC1 has reported. The Brazilian striker left the training area minutes later, the radio station said. Meanwhile, BCC reported manager Ernesto Valverde did not allow the Brazilian striker to train and told him to "sort out his future". The Brazilian also told his teammates at training that "he wanted to leave the Spanish club, "BBC reported. Neymar's move to Paris Saint Germain from Barcelona could be worth $220million which will be a world record transfer fee for any player in the history of the game.

Neymar set to join French club Paris Saint Germain: Reports

Barcelona star Lionel Messi today almost bid farewell to Neymar on Instagram after the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/neymar-set-to-join-french-club-paris-saint-germain-reports-18494">Brazilian told teammates at a practice session that he wanted to leave the club</a> and join French club Paris Saint- Germain.

Lionel Messi on Instagram said: &quot;It was a huge pleasure having shared all those years with you, my friend @neymarjr.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;I wish you lots of luck in this new stage in your life. See you soon tkm,&quot; he added. &quot;Tkm&quot; stands for &quot;te quiero mucho&quot; (I love you loads).

&nbsp;

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BXSt62SFYWj/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Fue un placer enorme haber compartido todos estos a&ntilde;os con vos, amigo @neymarjr. Te deseo mucha suerte en esta nueva etapa de tu vida. Nos vemos Tkm</a>

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&nbsp;

Neymar was quick to thank the Argentinian striker, saying,&quot;Thanks&nbsp;brother. I will miss you man.&quot;

There has been speculation in Barcelona for weeks over Neymar&#39;s intention to shift to&nbsp;Paris Saint- Germain. The French club is ready to pay Neymar $220 million which would be a world record transfer fee.

There has been speculation in Barcelona for weeks over Neymar's intention to shift to?Paris Saint- Germain.

Barcelona star Lionel Messi today almost bid farewell to Neymar on Instagram after the Brazilian told teammates at a practice session that he wanted to leave the club and join French club Paris Saint- Germain. Lionel Messi on Instagram said: "It was a huge pleasure having shared all those years with you, my friend @neymarjr." "I wish you lots of luck in this new stage in your life. See you soon tkm," he added. "Tkm" stands for "te quiero mucho" (I love you loads). Fue un placer enorme haber compartido todos estos años con vos, amigo @neymarjr. Te deseo mucha suerte en esta nueva etapa de tu vida. Nos vemos Tkm A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi) on Aug 2, 2017 at 6:05am PDT × Neymar was quick to thank the Argentinian striker, saying,"Thanks brother. I will miss you man." There has been speculation in Barcelona for weeks over Neymar's intention to shift to Paris Saint- Germain. The French club is ready to pay Neymar $220 million which would be a world record transfer fee.

I love you loads, Messi's 'farewell' message to Neymar

Brazilian forward&nbsp;Neymar&nbsp;faces a corruption trial in Spain in connection with the value placed on his 2013 transfer from Santos to Barcelona, the Spanish National High Court said on Thursday.

The defendants in the pending trial are the player, his parents, the two clubs, current and former Barcelona presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, and former Santos president Odilio Rodrigues, according to a court statement.

Bartomeu, Rosell, Barcelona and Santos also face trial on fraud charges, along with former Santos president Odilio Rodrigues, the statement said.

&quot;We are very happy as this was a favourable decision for us,&quot; Altamiro Bezerra, an advisor to NN Consultoria told Reuters.

&quot;It has eliminated the question of fraud in the contracts and we are also certain that we will be absolved of corruption.&quot;

The case stems from a complaint by DIS, a Brazilian company that owned 40 percent of the rights to&nbsp;Neymar&nbsp;when he was at Santos. It argues it lost out on its rightful cut from the transfer because the true value of the deal was understated.

Prosecutors said in November that&nbsp;Neymar&nbsp;should be fined 10 million euros ($11 million) and handed a two-year jail sentence. For first-time offenders in non-violent crimes, sentences of two years and under are suspended in Spain and it is unlikely the player would serve any prison time.

Barcelona said at the time of&nbsp;Neymar&#39;s move that the transfer figure was 57.1 million euros, of which 40 million was paid to&nbsp;Neymar&rsquo;s family.

DIS received a 40 per cent share of the remaining 17.1 million that was paid to Santos. But the court put the actual value of the rights to the player that were transferred to Barcelona at 25.2 million euros, and said DIS&#39;s cut should have been based on that amount.

&quot;The Judge has set bonds of 3,429,768 euros as pecuniary liability for Rosell, Bartomeu, Rodrigues, Football Club Barcelona and Santos Football Club, which must be paid by all jointly,&quot; the court said in a statement.

Barcelona did not immediately respond to an e-mailed request for comment. No one was available to comment at Santos, while a spokesperson for DIS said they were pleased with the ruling.

The transfer has given rise to several investigations in Spain and Brazil.

Last June, Barcelona agreed to pay a fine of 5.5 million euros to the Spanish authorities to settle a related tax fraud case.

(Reuters)

&nbsp;

Barcelona, Bartomeu, Rosell and Santos also face trial on fraud charges, along with former Santos president Odilio Rodrigues

Brazilian forward Neymar faces a corruption trial in Spain in connection with the value placed on his 2013 transfer from Santos to Barcelona, the Spanish National High Court said on Thursday. The defendants in the pending trial are the player, his parents, the two clubs, current and former Barcelona presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, and former Santos president Odilio Rodrigues, according to a court statement. Bartomeu, Rosell, Barcelona and Santos also face trial on fraud charges, along with former Santos president Odilio Rodrigues, the statement said. "We are very happy as this was a favourable decision for us," Altamiro Bezerra, an advisor to NN Consultoria told Reuters. "It has eliminated the question of fraud in the contracts and we are also certain that we will be absolved of corruption." The case stems from a complaint by DIS, a Brazilian company that owned 40 percent of the rights to Neymar when he was at Santos. It argues it lost out on its rightful cut from the transfer because the true value of the deal was understated. Prosecutors said in November that Neymar should be fined 10 million euros ($11 million) and handed a two-year jail sentence. For first-time offenders in non-violent crimes, sentences of two years and under are suspended in Spain and it is unlikely the player would serve any prison time. Barcelona said at the time of Neymar's move that the transfer figure was 57.1 million euros, of which 40 million was paid to Neymar’s family. DIS received a 40 per cent share of the remaining 17.1 million that was paid to Santos. But the court put the actual value of the rights to the player that were transferred to Barcelona at 25.2 million euros, and said DIS's cut should have been based on that amount. "The Judge has set bonds of 3,429,768 euros as pecuniary liability for Rosell, Bartomeu, Rodrigues, Football Club Barcelona and Santos Football Club, which must be paid by all jointly," the court said in a statement. Barcelona did not immediately respond to an e-mailed request for comment. No one was available to comment at Santos, while a spokesperson for DIS said they were pleased with the ruling. The transfer has given rise to several investigations in Spain and Brazil. Last June, Barcelona agreed to pay a fine of 5.5 million euros to the Spanish authorities to settle a related tax fraud case. (Reuters)

Neymar faces corruption trial over transfer fraud charges

Barcelona scored three goals in seven late minutes to pull off a stunning comeback against French champions&nbsp;Paris Saint-Germain to reach the quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Sergi Roberto&#39;s last-gasp goal meant Barcelona thrashed PSG 6-1 to memorably overcome a 0-4 deficit.

Despite Luis Suarez&#39;s early opener, a Layvin Kurzawa own goal and Lionel Messi&#39;s penalty, Barca, who lost the first leg 4-0, looked down and out when Edison Cavani volleyed home what seemed to be the vital away goal for PSG.

However, Neymar restored Barca&#39;s belief as he firstly fired home a sensational free-kick two minutes from time and then converted from the penalty spot.

And Roberto capped the biggest comeback in Champions League history when he stretched to turn home Neymar&#39;s dinked cross to the delight of a near 100,000 at a rocking Camp Nou, making the score 6-5 on aggregate.

Barca also enter the record books by reaching the quarter-finals for a 10th straight season.

Outgoing Barca coach Luis Enrique warned the French champions on Tuesday that his side were capable of scoring six and they needed the full 95 minutes to pull of a miracle revival.

No side had ever come back from a 4-0 first leg deficit in the Champions League, but after much pre-match hype of a historic turnaround, Barca truly believed when Suarez opened the scoring after just three minutes.

The PSG defence was stationary as Marquinhos headed Rafinha&#39;s cross high into the air and Suarez nipped in ahead of the flapping goalkeeper Kevin Trapp to nod in despite Thomas Meunier&#39;s best efforts to clear off the line.

In a role reversal from the first leg, Barca&#39;s high pressing wasn&#39;t allowing the visitors any restbite, whilst PSG failed to take advantage of the huge spaces in behind the Barca defence on the counter-attack.

Neymar was inches away from delivering a spectacular second when he drilled just wide from well outside the area before Trapp easily collected a Suarez effort from an acute angle.

However, Barca&#39;s hopes were further raised five minutes before the break thanks to more shambolic PSG defending.

Andres Iniesta reached Suarez&#39;s hopeful through ball and his backheel provoked Kurzawa into shanking the ball into his own net on his weaker right foot.

The second period started just as the first ended as Barca edged closer to the history books when Neymar was clipped by the prone Meunier and, after consultation with one of his assistants, German referee Deniz Aytekin pointed to the spot.

Messi made no mistake with the penalty to rifle home his 11th Champions League goal of the season.

Only when 3-0 down did PSG begin to come out in search of the crucial away goal and were nearly rewarded immediately as Meunier got to the by-line and his low cross was turned onto the post by Cavani.

The Uruguayan had to wait just 10 minutes more, though, to find the net.

Kurzawa made amends for his earlier error by heading down a free-kick and Cavani connected sweetly on the volley to register his 38th and seemingly most important goal of the season.

PSG were then to rue to huge missed chances to put the tie completely beyond Barca.

Firstly, Cavani should have had his second as he was played in by Draxler, but this time Marc-Andre ter Stegen stood up to block with an outstretched leg.

PSG&#39;s two-goal hero from the first Angel di Maria had started on the bench, but the former Real Madrid man should have rubbed salt in Barca&#39;s wounds five minutes from time when he somehow skewed wide with just Ter Stegen to beat.

Just when Barca looked down and out Neymar restored hope when he curled home a sensational free-kick high into the top corner.

And as the match entered stoppage time, Barca were awarded a second controversial penalty when Suarez tumbled under a challenge form Marquinhos.

Neymar this time took responsibility to send Trapp the wrong way.

And the Brazilian also showed a cool head amongst a mad final minute when he cut inside before chipping into the box for substitute Roberto to extend his right leg just enough to beat Trapp and leave PSG floored.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

Trailing 0-4 after first leg against Paris Saint-Germain, Neymar-inspired Barca pumped in 3 late goals to propel his team to the last eight

Barcelona scored three goals in seven late minutes to pull off a stunning comeback against French champions Paris Saint-Germain to reach the quarter-finals on Wednesday. Sergi Roberto's last-gasp goal meant Barcelona thrashed PSG 6-1 to memorably overcome a 0-4 deficit. Despite Luis Suarez's early opener, a Layvin Kurzawa own goal and Lionel Messi's penalty, Barca, who lost the first leg 4-0, looked down and out when Edison Cavani volleyed home what seemed to be the vital away goal for PSG. However, Neymar restored Barca's belief as he firstly fired home a sensational free-kick two minutes from time and then converted from the penalty spot. And Roberto capped the biggest comeback in Champions League history when he stretched to turn home Neymar's dinked cross to the delight of a near 100,000 at a rocking Camp Nou, making the score 6-5 on aggregate. Barca also enter the record books by reaching the quarter-finals for a 10th straight season. Outgoing Barca coach Luis Enrique warned the French champions on Tuesday that his side were capable of scoring six and they needed the full 95 minutes to pull of a miracle revival. No side had ever come back from a 4-0 first leg deficit in the Champions League, but after much pre-match hype of a historic turnaround, Barca truly believed when Suarez opened the scoring after just three minutes. The PSG defence was stationary as Marquinhos headed Rafinha's cross high into the air and Suarez nipped in ahead of the flapping goalkeeper Kevin Trapp to nod in despite Thomas Meunier's best efforts to clear off the line. In a role reversal from the first leg, Barca's high pressing wasn't allowing the visitors any restbite, whilst PSG failed to take advantage of the huge spaces in behind the Barca defence on the counter-attack. Neymar was inches away from delivering a spectacular second when he drilled just wide from well outside the area before Trapp easily collected a Suarez effort from an acute angle. However, Barca's hopes were further raised five minutes before the break thanks to more shambolic PSG defending. Andres Iniesta reached Suarez's hopeful through ball and his backheel provoked Kurzawa into shanking the ball into his own net on his weaker right foot. The second period started just as the first ended as Barca edged closer to the history books when Neymar was clipped by the prone Meunier and, after consultation with one of his assistants, German referee Deniz Aytekin pointed to the spot. Messi made no mistake with the penalty to rifle home his 11th Champions League goal of the season. Only when 3-0 down did PSG begin to come out in search of the crucial away goal and were nearly rewarded immediately as Meunier got to the by-line and his low cross was turned onto the post by Cavani. The Uruguayan had to wait just 10 minutes more, though, to find the net. Kurzawa made amends for his earlier error by heading down a free-kick and Cavani connected sweetly on the volley to register his 38th and seemingly most important goal of the season. PSG were then to rue to huge missed chances to put the tie completely beyond Barca. Firstly, Cavani should have had his second as he was played in by Draxler, but this time Marc-Andre ter Stegen stood up to block with an outstretched leg. PSG's two-goal hero from the first Angel di Maria had started on the bench, but the former Real Madrid man should have rubbed salt in Barca's wounds five minutes from time when he somehow skewed wide with just Ter Stegen to beat. Just when Barca looked down and out Neymar restored hope when he curled home a sensational free-kick high into the top corner. And as the match entered stoppage time, Barca were awarded a second controversial penalty when Suarez tumbled under a challenge form Marquinhos. Neymar this time took responsibility to send Trapp the wrong way. And the Brazilian also showed a cool head amongst a mad final minute when he cut inside before chipping into the box for substitute Roberto to extend his right leg just enough to beat Trapp and leave PSG floored. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Barcelona barnstormer spurs stunning comeback against PSG

Barcelona eased into the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey for a seventh consecutive season 6-2 on aggregate as Denis Suarez scored twice in a 5-2 win over Real Sociedad on Thursday.

Already leading 1-0 from the first leg, Barca gave Sociedad a mountain to climb as Denis Suarez finished off a great team move with the only real chance of the first-half before Lionel Messi converted from the penalty spot.

Juanmi and Willian Jose grabbed a pair of consolation goals for the visitors either side of Luis Suarez&#39;s third for Barca before Arda Turan and Denis Suarez rounded off the rout.

&quot;After the first goal the space opened up. They had a high line, and if you give the three we have up front space, then they kill you,&quot; Denis Suarez told BeIN Sports Spain.

The 28-time winners join Atletico Madrid, Alaves and Celta Vigo, who dumped out Real Madrid on Wednesday, in Friday&#39;s semi-final draw.

Barca boss Luis Enrique took no risks with his team selection as all of Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez started, whilst Gerard Pique returned at the back after being rested for the 4-0 win at Eibar on Sunday.

One moment of magic lit up a first-half otherwise devoid of goalmouth action as after registering his first Barca goal at the weekend, Denis Suarez&#39;s purple patch continued.

Samuel Umtiti robbed Xabi Prieto deep inside the Sociedad half and from there Neymar, Messi and Luis Suarez combined to tee up his namesake for a first time finish into the far corner.

&quot;We found it difficult to play out from the back in the first-half,&quot; added Enrique.

&quot;In the second-half we took better decisions and we took our chances.

&quot;When the players we have are given space, not just for their quality, but their physical ability, they normally take advantage.&quot;

Sociedad had a huge chance to get back into the tie nine minutes into the second period when Jose fired too close to Jasper Cillessen with just the Dutch international to beat from 10 yards out.

And within seconds any lasting hope Sociedad had was gone as Neymar accelerated in behind the visitors&#39; defence and was cynically hacked down by Inigo Martinez with the defender lucky to escape with just a yellow card.

Messi had handed responsibility from the spot to Neymar in each of Barca&#39;s last two Cup outings, but stepped up himself to register his 29th goal in just 27 games this season.

Sociedad were briefly given a glimmer of hope when substitute Juanmi took advantage of a glaring gap in the centre of the Barca defence to lob Cillessen.

Barca immediately responded, though, as Messi shrugged off three Sociedad challenges to release Luis Suarez to slot his 20th goal of the season under Geronimo Rulli.

The Basques once again responded as Jose bulleted home a header 17 minutes from time.

Yet, that once again just kicked Barca back up a gear as Turan tapped home Aleix Vidal&#39;s cross minutes after replacing Neymar before Messi teed up Denis Suarez for his second of the night.

(AFP)

The blaugrana team entered their seventh consecutive Cup semi-final by winning 6-2 on aggregate

Barcelona eased into the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey for a seventh consecutive season 6-2 on aggregate as Denis Suarez scored twice in a 5-2 win over Real Sociedad on Thursday. Already leading 1-0 from the first leg, Barca gave Sociedad a mountain to climb as Denis Suarez finished off a great team move with the only real chance of the first-half before Lionel Messi converted from the penalty spot. Juanmi and Willian Jose grabbed a pair of consolation goals for the visitors either side of Luis Suarez's third for Barca before Arda Turan and Denis Suarez rounded off the rout. "After the first goal the space opened up. They had a high line, and if you give the three we have up front space, then they kill you," Denis Suarez told BeIN Sports Spain. The 28-time winners join Atletico Madrid, Alaves and Celta Vigo, who dumped out Real Madrid on Wednesday, in Friday's semi-final draw. Barca boss Luis Enrique took no risks with his team selection as all of Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez started, whilst Gerard Pique returned at the back after being rested for the 4-0 win at Eibar on Sunday. One moment of magic lit up a first-half otherwise devoid of goalmouth action as after registering his first Barca goal at the weekend, Denis Suarez's purple patch continued. Samuel Umtiti robbed Xabi Prieto deep inside the Sociedad half and from there Neymar, Messi and Luis Suarez combined to tee up his namesake for a first time finish into the far corner. "We found it difficult to play out from the back in the first-half," added Enrique. "In the second-half we took better decisions and we took our chances. "When the players we have are given space, not just for their quality, but their physical ability, they normally take advantage." Sociedad had a huge chance to get back into the tie nine minutes into the second period when Jose fired too close to Jasper Cillessen with just the Dutch international to beat from 10 yards out. And within seconds any lasting hope Sociedad had was gone as Neymar accelerated in behind the visitors' defence and was cynically hacked down by Inigo Martinez with the defender lucky to escape with just a yellow card. Messi had handed responsibility from the spot to Neymar in each of Barca's last two Cup outings, but stepped up himself to register his 29th goal in just 27 games this season. Sociedad were briefly given a glimmer of hope when substitute Juanmi took advantage of a glaring gap in the centre of the Barca defence to lob Cillessen. Barca immediately responded, though, as Messi shrugged off three Sociedad challenges to release Luis Suarez to slot his 20th goal of the season under Geronimo Rulli. The Basques once again responded as Jose bulleted home a header 17 minutes from time. Yet, that once again just kicked Barca back up a gear as Turan tapped home Aleix Vidal's cross minutes after replacing Neymar before Messi teed up Denis Suarez for his second of the night. (AFP)

Copa del Rey: Barcelona pump in five to ease past Sociedad into semis

Brazil dealt Argentina&#39;s hopes of reaching the 2018 World Cup finals a serious blow on Thursday with a resounding 3-0 win that dropped the world&#39;s top ranked side into sixth place in the 10-team South American qualifying group.

First half goals from Philippe Coutinho and Neymar were followed by a third from Paulinho after 58 minutes to sink the Argentines and extend their winless run to four games.

The result means Brazil remain top of the group with 24 points from 11 games.

Argentina are sixth on 16 points, with the top four teams qualifying automatically for the finals in Russia and the fifth-placed side going into a play-off with the Oceania winners.

&quot;Today we imposed ourselves, the fans helped from the first minute and we leave here very happy,&quot; Coutinho said in a pitchside interview.

Argentina&#39;s Lionel Messi, who returned to the side after three games out injured, was anonymous in a match lit up by brilliant moments from the home side.

Brazil took the lead after 24 minutes when Neymar slipped the ball to Philippe Coutinho on the left with the deftest of touches and the Liverpool midfielder hammered an unstoppable drive into the top corner of the net.

The Barcelona striker was lucky not to concede a penalty after he handled in the box 12 minutes later but he was always dangerous at the other end and he doubled Brazil&#39;s lead just seconds before half time when he coolly slotted home after taking a defence-splitting pass from Gabriel Jesus.

Paulinho sealed it 13 minutes into the second period when the midfielder charged into the box between defenders and poked home a cross from Renato Augusto.

Brazil were dominant in a rampant second half and could have scored more with Neymar and substitute Robero Firmino both coming close.

In the evening&#39;s other games, Peru got four goals in the second half to beat Paraguay 4-1 away in Asuncion, while Josef Martinez became the first Venezuelan to score a hat trick in World Cup qualifiers in the 5-0 win over Bolivia.

Earlier, Colombia drew 0-0 at home to Chile and stay in third, while Uruguay beat Ecuador 2-1 to remain second, a point behind Brazil.&nbsp;

(Reuters)

Argentina are now winless in four games and sixth in the 10-team South American qualifying group

Brazil dealt Argentina's hopes of reaching the 2018 World Cup finals a serious blow on Thursday with a resounding 3-0 win that dropped the world's top ranked side into sixth place in the 10-team South American qualifying group. First half goals from Philippe Coutinho and Neymar were followed by a third from Paulinho after 58 minutes to sink the Argentines and extend their winless run to four games. The result means Brazil remain top of the group with 24 points from 11 games. Argentina are sixth on 16 points, with the top four teams qualifying automatically for the finals in Russia and the fifth-placed side going into a play-off with the Oceania winners. "Today we imposed ourselves, the fans helped from the first minute and we leave here very happy," Coutinho said in a pitchside interview. Argentina's Lionel Messi, who returned to the side after three games out injured, was anonymous in a match lit up by brilliant moments from the home side. Brazil took the lead after 24 minutes when Neymar slipped the ball to Philippe Coutinho on the left with the deftest of touches and the Liverpool midfielder hammered an unstoppable drive into the top corner of the net. The Barcelona striker was lucky not to concede a penalty after he handled in the box 12 minutes later but he was always dangerous at the other end and he doubled Brazil's lead just seconds before half time when he coolly slotted home after taking a defence-splitting pass from Gabriel Jesus. Paulinho sealed it 13 minutes into the second period when the midfielder charged into the box between defenders and poked home a cross from Renato Augusto. Brazil were dominant in a rampant second half and could have scored more with Neymar and substitute Robero Firmino both coming close. In the evening's other games, Peru got four goals in the second half to beat Paraguay 4-1 away in Asuncion, while Josef Martinez became the first Venezuelan to score a hat trick in World Cup qualifiers in the 5-0 win over Bolivia. Earlier, Colombia drew 0-0 at home to Chile and stay in third, while Uruguay beat Ecuador 2-1 to remain second, a point behind Brazil. (Reuters)

Football: Brazil blitz Argentina 3-0 in World Cup qualifier

Valencia were fined and warned on Wednesday after a section of fans pelted celebrating Barcelona players with a bottle, but the Spanish champions were also criticised for their conduct.

Luis Suarez and Neymar were hit by a plastic bottle thrown by the Valencia fans as Barca celebrated a last-gasp 3-2 win at Mestalla on Saturday in what had been a bad-tempered La Liga encounter.

A disciplinary committee of the Spanish Football Federation fined the home side 1,500 euros ($1,600) and said a repeat could result in a stadium closure.

But it also had harsh words for Barcelona, accusing some of their players, without giving names, of &quot;reproachable behaviour&quot; as they celebrated close to the touchline.

However, the Federation stressed that &quot;nothing, absolutely nothing justifies a violent public reaction&quot;.

In response, Barcelona issued a statement calling the criticism of their players &quot;totally reproachable&quot;.

&quot;The committee should have confined itself to analysing the facts and apply the existing rules,&quot; the Catalan club said.

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique had said in the immediate aftermath of the incident: &quot;We celebrated as it is normal to celebrate a last-minute winner.&quot;

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

A disciplinary committee fined Valencia after their fans hit Barca's Suarez and Neymar in their La Liga encounter on Saturday

Valencia were fined and warned on Wednesday after a section of fans pelted celebrating Barcelona players with a bottle, but the Spanish champions were also criticised for their conduct. Luis Suarez and Neymar were hit by a plastic bottle thrown by the Valencia fans as Barca celebrated a last-gasp 3-2 win at Mestalla on Saturday in what had been a bad-tempered La Liga encounter. A disciplinary committee of the Spanish Football Federation fined the home side 1,500 euros ($1,600) and said a repeat could result in a stadium closure. But it also had harsh words for Barcelona, accusing some of their players, without giving names, of "reproachable behaviour" as they celebrated close to the touchline. However, the Federation stressed that "nothing, absolutely nothing justifies a violent public reaction". In response, Barcelona issued a statement calling the criticism of their players "totally reproachable". "The committee should have confined itself to analysing the facts and apply the existing rules," the Catalan club said. Barcelona coach Luis Enrique had said in the immediate aftermath of the incident: "We celebrated as it is normal to celebrate a last-minute winner." (AFP)

Football: Valencia fined, Barcelona censured for bottle incident

A case of fraud against Brazilian superstar Neymar and his father in relation to the player&#39;s 2013 transfer to Barcelona was re-opened on Friday following a successful appeal by Spanish prosecutors, a court filing showed. 
 
In July, a judge ruled that irregularities in the high-profile transfer were detected, but said it was an issue for a civil court, not a criminal court to settle. 
 
However, prosecutors successfully argued the player and his father were aware of potentially fraudulent dealings between Barcelona and his former club Santos to the detriment of DIS, a Brazilian investment company who owned 40 per cent of the player&#39;s sporting rights at the time of the transfer. 
 
(AFP)

Following a successful appeal by Spanish prosecutors, a fraud case against Neymar opened in relation to his 2013 transfer to Barcelona

A case of fraud against Brazilian superstar Neymar and his father in relation to the player's 2013 transfer to Barcelona was re-opened on Friday following a successful appeal by Spanish prosecutors, a court filing showed. In July, a judge ruled that irregularities in the high-profile transfer were detected, but said it was an issue for a civil court, not a criminal court to settle. However, prosecutors successfully argued the player and his father were aware of potentially fraudulent dealings between Barcelona and his former club Santos to the detriment of DIS, a Brazilian investment company who owned 40 per cent of the player's sporting rights at the time of the transfer. (AFP)

Spain reopens Neymar fraud case

Neymar scored a brilliant goal and the decisive shootout penalty as&nbsp;Brazil&nbsp;buried their World Cup demons by beating Germany in the Olympic football final on Saturday.

The 5-4 penalty win was close. Neymar and his teammates all sank to their knees, many in uncontrollable tears at the centrepiece of a day of 30 gold medals in Rio.

Park In-Bee of South Korea won the first women&#39;s Olympic golf gold for 116 years, the United States routed Spain in the women&#39;s basketball final. Even scandal-tainted Russia won four golds while losing a silver from 2012 because of another doping case.

But&nbsp;Brazil&nbsp;came to a standstill because of Neymar and football.

Supermarket checkout clerks watched the match on their mobile phones, taxi drivers gathered around any available screen to see the Selecao take on Germany,&nbsp;and seek revenge for a 7-1 humiliation by their opponents in a World Cup semi-final two years ago.

In front of 78,000 people,&nbsp;the biggest crowd of the Rio Olympics,&nbsp;Neymar twisted a free kick past German goalkeeper Timo Horn to give&nbsp;Brazil&nbsp;a first-half lead.

German captain Max Meyer swept home Jeremy Toljan&#39;s cross to equalise and then taunted the Maracana stadium crowd by kissing the number seven on his shirt.

The game went through extra time and eight penalties in deadlock until Germany&#39;s Nils Petersen missed his spot kick.

Barcelona star Neymar rifled the final penalty into the corner after a half-faint and a whole nation erupted in celebration.
 
(AFP)

Neymar struck the winning penalty in the 5-4 shoot-out win over Germany, after the final had ended 1-1 at the end of normal and extra-time

Neymar scored a brilliant goal and the decisive shootout penalty as Brazil buried their World Cup demons by beating Germany in the Olympic football final on Saturday. The 5-4 penalty win was close. Neymar and his teammates all sank to their knees, many in uncontrollable tears at the centrepiece of a day of 30 gold medals in Rio. Park In-Bee of South Korea won the first women's Olympic golf gold for 116 years, the United States routed Spain in the women's basketball final. Even scandal-tainted Russia won four golds while losing a silver from 2012 because of another doping case. But Brazil came to a standstill because of Neymar and football. Supermarket checkout clerks watched the match on their mobile phones, taxi drivers gathered around any available screen to see the Selecao take on Germany, and seek revenge for a 7-1 humiliation by their opponents in a World Cup semi-final two years ago. In front of 78,000 people, the biggest crowd of the Rio Olympics, Neymar twisted a free kick past German goalkeeper Timo Horn to give Brazil a first-half lead. German captain Max Meyer swept home Jeremy Toljan's cross to equalise and then taunted the Maracana stadium crowd by kissing the number seven on his shirt. The game went through extra time and eight penalties in deadlock until Germany's Nils Petersen missed his spot kick. Barcelona star Neymar rifled the final penalty into the corner after a half-faint and a whole nation erupted in celebration. (AFP)

Rio Olympics 2016: Neymar propels Brazil to maiden football gold

Barcelona star Neymar said he will step down as Brazil captain after leading the Olympic Games hosts to their first ever football gold medal. 
 
&quot;Today I have been proclaimed a champion and I hand over the armband as captain,&quot; Neymar told SporTV after scoring the winning penalty in a 5-4 shootout win over Germany on Saturday. 
 
&quot;I was something I received with honour and love. It was an honour to be captain, but from today I am no longer captain.&quot; 
 
New coach of the Brazil senior side Tite will take charge of his first game in charge against Ecuador in World Cup 2018 qualifying on September 1 after Dunga was sacked following Brazil&#39;s group stage exit from the Copa America. 
 
&quot;I send the message to Tite that from now he can look for another captain,&quot; added Neymar. 
 
Neymar captained the mainly under-23 side during the Games and Brazil&#39;s Olympic coach Rogerio Micale described his decision to step down as &quot;noble&quot;. 
 
&quot;It was a noble gesture on Neymar&#39;s part to leave it up to Tite,&quot; said Micale. 
 
&quot;We had this discussion and it wasn&#39;t public at the time before. I decided I wanted him to be captain, he was the best person to be captain for the team. 
 
He knows that, the team knows that, but I repeat it was a noble gesture on Neymar`s part to let Tite decide who will be the captain. 
 
&quot;It demonstrates maturity on Neymar`s part, he is a leader in the national team, he is dedicated. I finish this tournament with the best possible impressions of Neymar as do the team.&quot; 
 
Dunga made Neymar captain following Brazil&#39;s humiliating 7-1 semi-final defeat to Germany at the 2014 World Cup. 
 
The 24-year-old had missed that match having suffered two broken bones in his back towards the end of a bruising quarter-final clash with Colombia. 
 
However, Neymar&#39;s role as captain was questioned after he was sent-off in just his second competitive match in the role against Colombia at last year&#39;s Copa America. 
 
Neymar was also roundly criticised for his underwhelming displays in Brazil&#39;s opening 0-0 draws against South Africa and Iraq. 
 
However, he rounded on his critics after scoring not only Brazil&#39;s winning penalty, but also a brilliant free-kick in the gold medal match. 
 
&quot;This is one of the best things that has happened in my life,&quot; he said, &quot;adding, &quot;Now they&#39;ll (the critics) have to swallow what they said.&quot; 
 
That criticism melted away amidst chants of &quot;ole, ole, ole Neymar&quot; in front of the biggest crowd of the Games at the Maracana as Neymar led the hosts to a long-awaited gold. 
 
He opened the scoring with a sensational first-half free-kick before Max Meyer&#39;s equaliser sent the game into extra-time and eventually penalties. 
 
However, Neymar was handed his moment to shine when Weverton saved Nils Petersen`s spot-kick and he kept his cool to fire into the top corner before sinking to his knees in tears.

(AFP) 
 
&nbsp;

The Barcelona star has asked national coach Tite to look for another captain as Brazil gears up for World Cup qualifiers

Barcelona star Neymar said he will step down as Brazil captain after leading the Olympic Games hosts to their first ever football gold medal. "Today I have been proclaimed a champion and I hand over the armband as captain," Neymar told SporTV after scoring the winning penalty in a 5-4 shootout win over Germany on Saturday. "I was something I received with honour and love. It was an honour to be captain, but from today I am no longer captain." New coach of the Brazil senior side Tite will take charge of his first game in charge against Ecuador in World Cup 2018 qualifying on September 1 after Dunga was sacked following Brazil's group stage exit from the Copa America. "I send the message to Tite that from now he can look for another captain," added Neymar. Neymar captained the mainly under-23 side during the Games and Brazil's Olympic coach Rogerio Micale described his decision to step down as "noble". "It was a noble gesture on Neymar's part to leave it up to Tite," said Micale. "We had this discussion and it wasn't public at the time before. I decided I wanted him to be captain, he was the best person to be captain for the team. He knows that, the team knows that, but I repeat it was a noble gesture on Neymar`s part to let Tite decide who will be the captain. "It demonstrates maturity on Neymar`s part, he is a leader in the national team, he is dedicated. I finish this tournament with the best possible impressions of Neymar as do the team." Dunga made Neymar captain following Brazil's humiliating 7-1 semi-final defeat to Germany at the 2014 World Cup. The 24-year-old had missed that match having suffered two broken bones in his back towards the end of a bruising quarter-final clash with Colombia. However, Neymar's role as captain was questioned after he was sent-off in just his second competitive match in the role against Colombia at last year's Copa America. Neymar was also roundly criticised for his underwhelming displays in Brazil's opening 0-0 draws against South Africa and Iraq. However, he rounded on his critics after scoring not only Brazil's winning penalty, but also a brilliant free-kick in the gold medal match. "This is one of the best things that has happened in my life," he said, "adding, "Now they'll (the critics) have to swallow what they said." That criticism melted away amidst chants of "ole, ole, ole Neymar" in front of the biggest crowd of the Games at the Maracana as Neymar led the hosts to a long-awaited gold. He opened the scoring with a sensational first-half free-kick before Max Meyer's equaliser sent the game into extra-time and eventually penalties. However, Neymar was handed his moment to shine when Weverton saved Nils Petersen`s spot-kick and he kept his cool to fire into the top corner before sinking to his knees in tears. (AFP)

Neymar relinquishes captaincy after leading Brazil to Olympic gold

Brazil beat Colombia 2-0 to move into the last four and a date with Honduras, while Nigeria and Germany both won on Saturday to set up an intriguing semi-final line up in men`s soccer at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.&nbsp; 
 
Brazil, who have never won the Olympic soccer title, were nervous, especially in a first half that had 21 fouls and five yellows cards, four of them for Colombia.&nbsp; 
 
The visitors rarely tried to play, preferring to hack at their opponents and it was from a 30-yard free kick that Brazil took the lead after 12 minutes with Neymar curling the ball through a wall that disintegrated.&nbsp; 
 
Brazil were the better team throughout and Luan got the second goal they deserved seven minutes from time when he lifted a sublime chip over the goalkeeper from 25 yards out. 
 
&quot;It was very important that we scored early and that helped us not fall into their trap of winding us up,&quot; defender Marquinhos told TV cameras after the game in Sao Paulo. 
 
&quot;We are very disciplined to not lose a goal and when we score early that allows us to open up a bit,&quot; he added. &quot;We held it together at the back and we played well.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Rampant Germany hammered Portugal 4-0 to set up a semi-final clash with Nigeria. Serge Gnabry put the Germans ahead with an angled strike just before halftime and Matthias Ginter added a second with a commanding header from a corner 12 minutes into the second half.&nbsp; 
 
Davie Selke got the third in the 75th with a goal that was almost identical to the first before substitute Philipp Max put the icing on the cake when he ended a sweeping move with a neat finish into the top corner three minutes from time. 
 
Germany will face Nigeria in Sao Paulo on Wednesday after the Africans scored in each half to beat Denmark.&nbsp; 
 
John Obi Mikel put Nigeria ahead after 16 minutes when he slotted home from the edge of the six-yard box after Imoh Ezekiel had set him up. Aminu Umar doubled their lead with a glancing header that may have come off his shoulder from a corner after 58 minutes.&nbsp; 
 
Honduras, seeking their first soccer medal in the Olympics, were inferior to a South Korea side that had 16 shots, compared to six for the Central American side, who got the only goal of the game after 59 minutes.&nbsp; 
 
The speedy Romell Quioto ran the length of the field before feeding Alberth Elis who coolly side-footed home from 15 metres. The 
 
Koreans pushed frantically for an equaliser but could not score. 
 
The men`s tournament is restricted to players aged under 23, though each squad is allowed to name three `overage` players. 
 
(Reuters)

Selecao to meet Honduras in last four while the other semi-final will see Germany and Nigeria slug it out for the summit clash

Brazil beat Colombia 2-0 to move into the last four and a date with Honduras, while Nigeria and Germany both won on Saturday to set up an intriguing semi-final line up in men`s soccer at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Brazil, who have never won the Olympic soccer title, were nervous, especially in a first half that had 21 fouls and five yellows cards, four of them for Colombia. The visitors rarely tried to play, preferring to hack at their opponents and it was from a 30-yard free kick that Brazil took the lead after 12 minutes with Neymar curling the ball through a wall that disintegrated. Brazil were the better team throughout and Luan got the second goal they deserved seven minutes from time when he lifted a sublime chip over the goalkeeper from 25 yards out. "It was very important that we scored early and that helped us not fall into their trap of winding us up," defender Marquinhos told TV cameras after the game in Sao Paulo. "We are very disciplined to not lose a goal and when we score early that allows us to open up a bit," he added. "We held it together at the back and we played well." Rampant Germany hammered Portugal 4-0 to set up a semi-final clash with Nigeria. Serge Gnabry put the Germans ahead with an angled strike just before halftime and Matthias Ginter added a second with a commanding header from a corner 12 minutes into the second half. Davie Selke got the third in the 75th with a goal that was almost identical to the first before substitute Philipp Max put the icing on the cake when he ended a sweeping move with a neat finish into the top corner three minutes from time. Germany will face Nigeria in Sao Paulo on Wednesday after the Africans scored in each half to beat Denmark. John Obi Mikel put Nigeria ahead after 16 minutes when he slotted home from the edge of the six-yard box after Imoh Ezekiel had set him up. Aminu Umar doubled their lead with a glancing header that may have come off his shoulder from a corner after 58 minutes. Honduras, seeking their first soccer medal in the Olympics, were inferior to a South Korea side that had 16 shots, compared to six for the Central American side, who got the only goal of the game after 59 minutes. The speedy Romell Quioto ran the length of the field before feeding Alberth Elis who coolly side-footed home from 15 metres. The Koreans pushed frantically for an equaliser but could not score. The men`s tournament is restricted to players aged under 23, though each squad is allowed to name three `overage` players. (Reuters)

Brazil overcome nerves to prevail over Colombia, Germany thrash Portugal

Brazil&#39;s Olympic coach Rogerio Micale called up midfielder Douglas Costa and goalkeeper Fernando Prass on Wednesday to join striker Neymar as the three players over the age of 23 to play with Brazil as they try to win Olympic gold at home at the 2016 Rio Olympics. 
 
Neymar, who was already named to the Olympic squad in a deal reached with Barcelona, is the biggest name on the list of 18 players Micale announced at the Brazilian Soccer Confederation (CBF) headquarters in Rio de Janeiro. 
 
Micale said he would not hesitate to reach out to Brazil&#39;s new head coach for the national team, Tite, as he steers his team through the Olympics. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s an honour, a joy to have &#39;Professor Tite&#39; on my side. I&#39;m not going to feel any kind of embarrassment leaning on his wisdom, all the soccer experiences he has seen, the victories he&#39;s had all this time. I want to be very close (to him), because whatever can be added right now will be good for my career,&quot; Micale said. 
 
Brazil are thirsty for a gold medal on their home turf after taking silver to Mexico at the London 2012 Games. 
 
Micale said he was forced to leave players he had hoped to count on out of the line-up after their clubs would not free them up for the Olympics, which are not part of the FIFA calendar for national teams. 
 
Micale said most the players on the squad are leaders at their clubs, both domestically and abroad, and that he is confident in his young team adding that they could take some pressure off of Neymar. 
 
&quot;He&#39;s a player with a different kind of profile, an indisputable quality, one of the best players in the world. I think any coach from any national team in the world would like to be able to count on a player with a profile like his. But on the national team we try to add other leaders, we do have them, yes. I don&#39;t think we can put it all on one player even if he has all the qualities he represents in soccer throughout the world. And my expectations are that he will respond. I know how badly he wants a medal, just like the rest of us,&quot; Micale added. 
 
The 2016 Olympics will be Brazil&#39;s first official competition in Brazil since their failed 2014 World Cup in which they lost 7 to 1 to Germany in the semi-finals and then again to the Netherlands 3 to 0 in the third place match. 
 
Brazil will open their campaign in Group A against South Africa (Aug. 8, Brasilia), Iraq (Aug. 7, Brasilia) and Denmark (Aug. 10, Salvador). 
 
(Reuters)

2016 Olympics will be Brazil's first official competition in Brazil since their failed 2014 World Cup in which they lost 7 to 1 to Germany

Brazil's Olympic coach Rogerio Micale called up midfielder Douglas Costa and goalkeeper Fernando Prass on Wednesday to join striker Neymar as the three players over the age of 23 to play with Brazil as they try to win Olympic gold at home at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Neymar, who was already named to the Olympic squad in a deal reached with Barcelona, is the biggest name on the list of 18 players Micale announced at the Brazilian Soccer Confederation (CBF) headquarters in Rio de Janeiro. Micale said he would not hesitate to reach out to Brazil's new head coach for the national team, Tite, as he steers his team through the Olympics. "It's an honour, a joy to have 'Professor Tite' on my side. I'm not going to feel any kind of embarrassment leaning on his wisdom, all the soccer experiences he has seen, the victories he's had all this time. I want to be very close (to him), because whatever can be added right now will be good for my career," Micale said. Brazil are thirsty for a gold medal on their home turf after taking silver to Mexico at the London 2012 Games. Micale said he was forced to leave players he had hoped to count on out of the line-up after their clubs would not free them up for the Olympics, which are not part of the FIFA calendar for national teams. Micale said most the players on the squad are leaders at their clubs, both domestically and abroad, and that he is confident in his young team adding that they could take some pressure off of Neymar. "He's a player with a different kind of profile, an indisputable quality, one of the best players in the world. I think any coach from any national team in the world would like to be able to count on a player with a profile like his. But on the national team we try to add other leaders, we do have them, yes. I don't think we can put it all on one player even if he has all the qualities he represents in soccer throughout the world. And my expectations are that he will respond. I know how badly he wants a medal, just like the rest of us," Micale added. The 2016 Olympics will be Brazil's first official competition in Brazil since their failed 2014 World Cup in which they lost 7 to 1 to Germany in the semi-finals and then again to the Netherlands 3 to 0 in the third place match. Brazil will open their campaign in Group A against South Africa (Aug. 8, Brasilia), Iraq (Aug. 7, Brasilia) and Denmark (Aug. 10, Salvador). (Reuters)

Neymar, Douglas Costa named in Brazil's Olympic squad

Brazilian striker Neymar will sign a new five-year contract with Barcelona this week, his agents said Thursday, ending speculation over his future at the Spanish champions. 
 
The international forward, 24, is widely regarded as one of the finest talents in the world, and is part of the much-feared attacking trident alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at Barcelona. 
 
&quot;The athlete, along with his family, has decided to stay with FC Barcelona and will renew his contract for five more years,&quot; said NN Consultoria, the agency representing the international forward, 24. 
 
&quot;The contract will be formalised this week. The decision puts an end to speculation about the star&#39;s future.&quot; 
 
Neymar wrote on Twitter: &quot;I am very happy to continue living this dream. Long live Barca and long live Catalonia!&quot; 
 
The Catalan club&#39;s president Josep Maria Bartomeu had earlier rejected rumours over Neymar&#39;s possible transfer to another club, with Manchester United among the teams supposedly chasing him. 
 
The prolific Neymar was already under contract until 2018 with Barcelona, having transferred in 2013 from Brazil&#39;s Santos. That transfer deal has haunted the club because of alleged hidden payments that have sparked legal action. 
 
Speculation had mounted around whether or not Neymar would extend his stay at the Camp Nou or make another lucrative move. 
 
Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, United and Manchester City had been named as possible suitors. 
 
&quot;I read that there are many clubs interested in Neymar. It&#39;s normal they are, but Neymar has never said he wants to leave Barca, just the opposite,&quot; Bartomeu said. 
 
&quot;Neymar wants to continue at Barca and Barca wants Neymar to continue with us.&quot; 
 
Neymar transfer woes 
 
Neymar has been a huge success for Barca on the pitch but a judicial nightmare off it. 
 
He helped them win the Spanish league last season for the second year in a row, narrowly beating their fierce rivals Real Madrid. 
 
But he has been investigated in Brazil and Spain over his transfer from Santos. 
 
Barcelona agreed on June 13 to pay a 5.5-million-Euro ($6.2 million) fine over the transfer in a deal with prosecutors that see the club avoid trial on tax evasion charges. 
 
&quot;It was better to accept this agreement than continue on with the uncertainty that has dragged on for a long time over the Neymar case,&quot; Bartomeu told reporters at the time. 
 
Neymar was named on Wednesday as the star of a young Brazil Olympic football squad for next month&#39;s Games in Rio de Janeiro. 
 
Brazil are looking to bounce back from a humiliating group stage exit from the Copa America Centenario this month. 
 
They are also hoping Olympic gold will help soothe the trauma of their devastating 7-1 semi-final loss to Germany in the 2014 World Cup on home soil. 
 
&quot;Neymar is different. He is one of the best players in the world. Any national team would want to have a player of his profile,&quot; the Olympic squad&#39;s coach Rogerio Micale told a news conference. 
 
&quot;He will mean a lot for the team. I hope he will be able to help the younger players.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The Brazilian football player helped Bacelona win the Spanish league last season for the second year in a row

Brazilian striker Neymar will sign a new five-year contract with Barcelona this week, his agents said Thursday, ending speculation over his future at the Spanish champions. The international forward, 24, is widely regarded as one of the finest talents in the world, and is part of the much-feared attacking trident alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at Barcelona. "The athlete, along with his family, has decided to stay with FC Barcelona and will renew his contract for five more years," said NN Consultoria, the agency representing the international forward, 24. "The contract will be formalised this week. The decision puts an end to speculation about the star's future." Neymar wrote on Twitter: "I am very happy to continue living this dream. Long live Barca and long live Catalonia!" The Catalan club's president Josep Maria Bartomeu had earlier rejected rumours over Neymar's possible transfer to another club, with Manchester United among the teams supposedly chasing him. The prolific Neymar was already under contract until 2018 with Barcelona, having transferred in 2013 from Brazil's Santos. That transfer deal has haunted the club because of alleged hidden payments that have sparked legal action. Speculation had mounted around whether or not Neymar would extend his stay at the Camp Nou or make another lucrative move. Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, United and Manchester City had been named as possible suitors. "I read that there are many clubs interested in Neymar. It's normal they are, but Neymar has never said he wants to leave Barca, just the opposite," Bartomeu said. "Neymar wants to continue at Barca and Barca wants Neymar to continue with us." Neymar transfer woes Neymar has been a huge success for Barca on the pitch but a judicial nightmare off it. He helped them win the Spanish league last season for the second year in a row, narrowly beating their fierce rivals Real Madrid. But he has been investigated in Brazil and Spain over his transfer from Santos. Barcelona agreed on June 13 to pay a 5.5-million-Euro ($6.2 million) fine over the transfer in a deal with prosecutors that see the club avoid trial on tax evasion charges. "It was better to accept this agreement than continue on with the uncertainty that has dragged on for a long time over the Neymar case," Bartomeu told reporters at the time. Neymar was named on Wednesday as the star of a young Brazil Olympic football squad for next month's Games in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil are looking to bounce back from a humiliating group stage exit from the Copa America Centenario this month. They are also hoping Olympic gold will help soothe the trauma of their devastating 7-1 semi-final loss to Germany in the 2014 World Cup on home soil. "Neymar is different. He is one of the best players in the world. Any national team would want to have a player of his profile," the Olympic squad's coach Rogerio Micale told a news conference. "He will mean a lot for the team. I hope he will be able to help the younger players." (AFP)

Neymar extends Barcelona contract to 2021

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