"Pathetic" - French journalist slams PSG's Neymar after loss to Nice
French journalist Daniel Riolo has criticized the performance put in by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward Neymar during their 1-0 loss to OGC Nice on Saturday.
Riolo felt the 30-year-old barely contributed to the Parisian giants' cause and called his performance "pathetic."
Speaking to RMC (via Le10Sport), he said:
"Neymar no longer advances and no longer dribbles anyone. (…) Neymar so overwhelmed that apart from getting angry at the opponents he can no longer do anything … pathetic."
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The forward played the full 90 minutes against Nice at the Allianz Riviera but failed to have any positive impact on the proceedings. He had just one shot in the entire game which was blocked. The former Barcelona superstar also had just three successful dribbles from eight attempts.
However, it is worth mentioning that the Brazil international has only recently returned to full fitness after sustaining a long-term ankle injury. PSG suffered only their third league defeat of the campaign against Nice on Saturday. A solitary goal from Andy Delort late into the second half was enough for Les Aiglons to secure all three points against Mauricio Pochettino's side.
Nice have been a real problem for Paris Saint-Germain this season, denying them a win thrice. They played out a 0-0 draw when they faced each other at the Parc des Princes back in December. Nice also knocked PSG out of the Coupe de France in a penalty shootout in the Round of 16 last month before their league win last weekend.
It is worth mentioning that Paris Saint-Germain have a crucial second-leg tie against Real Madrid in the Champions League on 10 March. They currently lead the tie 1-0 on aggregate.
How has Neymar performed for PSG this season?
Neymar hasn't had the best of seasons for PSG this time around. The 30-year-old forward has scored and assisted four times each in 18 matches across all competitions.
The Brazilian has been relatively poor in the UEFA Champions League where he has had just one assist in five group matches.
"He talks, but can you hear him? He's asking for help."
Thierry Henry is worried about Neymar. https://t.co/wryzI984N2
The pressure to succeed in Paris has always been on Neymar's shoulders ever since his €222 million world-record transfer from Barcelona back in 2017.
However, he has failed to live up to his stature and price tag. Injuries have hampered his time in France, where he has made just 134 appearances in four-and-a-half seasons. Neymar has contributed to 91 goals and 56 assists during his time with PSG.