Despite the disappointment of his club’s exit from the Champions League to Real Madrid, Neymar should not give up on the PSG project
Over the past few weeks Neymar has been linked with a swift return to the Spanish league. And that’s far from being unexpected following his injury that coincided with Paris Saint Germain’s exit at the hands of Real Madrid in the Champions League. But the 26-year-old is not one to run away from challenges, as he still has unfinished business with the French giants.
Neymar came to PSG with the hope of guiding them to a historical Champions League-winning campaign which would then see him crowned as the best player in the world. However, that did not go as well as planned in his first season.
The French side faced a lot of troubles against Real Madrid, despite having delivered a decent performance, inspired by the Brazilian star, at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in the first leg. Even without an above average left-back, and with the absence of a defensive midfielder, PSG still performed well, to a certain extent, in Spain.
Você tem que ter uma atitude positiva e tirar o melhor da situação na qual se encontra.
Stephen Hawking pic.twitter.com/JE2MtyuT6b
— Neymar Jr (@neymarjr) March 14, 2018
Neymar was all over the pitch with his dazzling runs and dribbles, but his decision-making let him down in the final third. A perturbed, improvised regista in Argentinian youngster Giovanni Lo Celso, meant that PSG’s midfield lacked defensive solidity and physicality. Had the club signed someone like Fabinho to boost the midfield and Alex Sandro on the left flank, things could have been completely different.
Neymar has a chance to offer a better 2018/2019 European season as long as he manages to stay injury-free, and as long as the club acquires the services of the right players to eliminate the clear weaknesses in the starting lineup. PSG is not a complete side at the moment, so it was only logical that they were eliminated by the back-to-back champions.
It would be a rather cowardly act if Neymar walks away now, yet to honour the club’s shirt and write his name in their history books. The Neymar we know is a character who loves challenges, and who never leaves his teammates when they need him the most. Therefore, it is not the convenient moment to opt for a spectacular return to the Spanish league.
https://twitter.com/BrazilStat/status/970312260429197313
On the other hand, it is clear that Ligue Un is a step below the top three European leagues. PSG are superior to any of their competitors and this is not expected to change any time soon. One could argue that Neymar needs to join a more competitive league like England’s, and that claim would be absolutely valid. But he must give it one last try for European glory, as the technical leader of this PSG side with its large Brazilian contingent.
Rumors over a return to Barcelona have already been denied by Neymar’s father the the PSG president, as have the ever-increasing links linking Neymar with a move to Real Madrid, but it still seems difficult to completely rule out the idea of a future transfer. It would even make sense for the player to join Los Blancos at some stage of his career, but now is not the right time for Neymar to walk away and leave PSG when they need him the most.
