“When I see him with Neymar, it makes me laugh" - PSG defender's ex-coach takes cheeky dig at Brazilian superstar's flamboyant lifestyle
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) left-back Nuno Mendes seems to be developing a close relationship with Brazilian superstar Neymar, much to the surprise of his former coach Leonel Pontes.
Neymar is well-known for his flamboyant and extravagant lifestyle. The PSG forward has attracted criticism for the same in recent years and Leonel Pontes is surprised that Nuno Mendes, who is known to be humble, is getting close to the Brazilian.
The Portugal international discussed Matchday 3 of the UEFA Champions League group stage, which will be played against Benfica, during the traditional pre-match press conference.
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The Sporting Lisbon manager told L'Equipe (via OneFootball):
“When I see him with Neymar, it makes me laugh because Nuno is the opposite. He is not at all exuberant, someone who will appear on social media and show his life."
"He likes to be with his loved ones and keeping a form of modesty. And despite his current and future potential, I don’t think it will change. He is too well-bred for that."
Nuno Mendes worked with Leonel Pontes during his time at Sporting Lisbon's senior team between 2019 and 2021. The defender joined PSG in the summer of 2021 on an initial loan deal that was made permanent for €38 million this summer.
So far, the defender has made 49 appearances for the Parisians across all competitions, recording one goal and four assists. That includes one goal and two assists in 12 matches this season.
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Neymar, meanwhile, continues to be a pivotal figure for the Ligue 1 giants. The Brazilian has taken his game to a whole new level this term, scoring goals and creating assists for his teammates. So far, the winger has bagged 11 goals and eight assists for the Parisians in 12 games across all competitions.
What's next for PSG?
The Parisians are scheduled to play in the UEFA Champions League later today (October), where they will face Benfica away from home. Christophe Galtier's men then return to action in Ligue 1 at the weekend with another away fixture versus Reims.
As things stand, the Parisians lead the race for the title in the French top flight with 25 points in nine games. They have won eight and drawn one of their nine fixtures in the division so far.