Leonardo praises Messi and guarantees Neymar’s effort to get back in good shape

The sporting director of Paris Saint Germain (PSG), Leonardo, praised Lionel Messi and guaranteed Neymar’s effort to get back into good shape, after a serious ankle injury, in an interview with “L’Équipe”, France.

For the Brazilian manager, a favorable environment is essential for the team’s great stars to play at a high level, including the Argentine player.

“Messi is a genius. Discussing Messi is discussing football. He had the humility to come here, even after everything he’s achieved, but I think for players like Mbappé, Neymar or Messi, context is important. It’s not just about isolating them in a bubble, they need atmosphere. If they don’t have that, it gets harder,” he said.

In the sequence, Leonardo cited the effort of Neymar, who is working hard to reach his best physical level, after a serious ankle injury.

“In relation to Neymar, the situation is serious. The ankle bone was affected by a vascularization problem. To be at the level he is today would take a lot of work and this is proof that he is committed. I talked to him whenever we had a problem, but when things are done well, I also make a point of saying. You can’t put a label on Neymar forever. When he’s on the field, there’s always a great expectation that he’ll do something amazing.”

In the season, however, the numbers of PSG’s stars are modest. Lionel Messi has seven goals and 11 assists in 23 games. Neymar has four goals and three assists in just 12 matches.

In this way, the Parisian team has a hard sequence. On Saturday, he faces Nice for the French Championship, at 5 pm, outside the house. In the fourth, he faces the Real Madridat the Santiago Bernabéu, for the return game of the round of 16 of the Champions League. In the first meeting, PSG won 1-0 with a goal from Mbappé and assistance from Neymar.