EXCLUSIVE
The manager who called Neymar a “monster” during his time in Brazil has backed him in his penalty row with Edinson Cavani.
The two PSG stars initially clashed over a second-half free-kick, with Cavani wishing to take the set play. Dani Alves, however, snatched the ball away and gave it to his Brazil team-mate.
And, later in the game, Cavani insisted on taking a penalty, which was saved, to the chagrin of Neymar, and reports claimed that the pair had to be separated in the dressing room.
A similar situation arose in 2010 with Neymar at Santos. The winger had won a penalty against Atletico Goianiense after some skilful play and demanded to take the spot-kick, only for coach Dorival Junior to tell him that he wanted a more experienced player to take it.
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Neymar shrugged, dropped the ball to the floor, walked away — and sulked. The penalty was duly converted, but Neymar hadn't even bothered to look. He launched a water bottle into the air and, with it, a tirade of abuse towards his coach. He then refused to pass to his team-mates for the rest of the afternoon. All of them tried to talk him around; none succeeded.
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Goianiense manager Simoes said after the game that "we’re creating a monster in Brazilian football", but he has now come out in defence of Neymar’s actions.
"I believe someone promised him that he could be the best in the world [with PSG]," he told Goal. "And the best in the world does the same as Cristiano Ronaldo: from the corner kick to the header, penalty, free-kicks... everything. The same happens with Messi. I believe they promised him to be responsible for everything."
Simoes is unsure who is to blame for the incident, however, insisting that Unai Emery should have told the player who would be on set-piece duty before the game.
"The manager has to decide. If he decided it was Cavani [the penalty taker], then Neymar is to blame. If he chose Neymar, Cavani is to blame.
"And if he did not choose, he [Unai Emery] is to blame for what happened. In that episode with Santos, his coach [Dorival Junior] was the one who told him not to take the penalty."