Neymar feels 'more alive than ever' after sparkling PSG bow
Neymar felt vindicated in his decision to leave Barcelona after beginning his Paris Saint-Germain career in sensational fashion with a goal and an assist on his debut on Sunday.
All eyes were on the Brazilian superstar following his world-record €222million move from Camp Nou but he coped admirably with the pressure as PSG ran out comfortable 3-0 winners at Guingamp to continue their 100 per cent start to the Ligue 1 season.
PSG took the lead through Jordan Ikoko's inexplicable own goal, before Neymar laid on the second for Edinson Cavani with a penetrating throughball.
Cavani returned the favour eight minutes from time, setting up his new team-mate for a simple tap-in to round off a wholly satisfying outing for Neymar, who felt he had silenced those who questioned his decision to leave LaLiga.
"I am very serene. I knew it would be very difficult to leave Barca, but I am very happy to be here," he told Canal+.
The moment @neymarjr opened his PSG account #EAGPSG pic.twitter.com/4j3aXDhw6O
— PSG English (@PSG_English) August 13, 2017
"People think that leaving Barca is to die, but no, it's the opposite: I'm more alive than ever.
"I play, I'm very happy, and football is the same. Only the country, the city and the team change, but football is the same.
"I am very happy with the [man of the match] trophy, but the main thing was to win.
"The team played well, we did a great game, we are very happy with this game and goals, but the most important is the victory."
Neymar felt he had gelled well with his new colleagues, after lining up on the left of a front three alongside Cavani and Angel Di Maria.
"I already knew he [Cavani] was a great player. I saw him from afar, and now I am with him," Neymar added. "We try to get to know each other better, but the first game was a success.
"He's a great player, and when you have such players it's easy. It's easy to play with Di Maria, [Marco] Verratti, [Thiago] Motta, Daniel [Alves], with all those who are there."