'When I needed help, the best in the world showed me affection': Neymar gets emotional about Lionel Messi
What's the story?
Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar Jr. grew emotional when talking about his initial years at Barcelona and how his former teammate Lionel Messi was always there to help him when he felt unwelcomed. The Brazil international added that the Argentine ace is a very "special guy" for him at Camp Nou.
In case you didn't know...
The former Blaugrana star, together with Luis Suarez and Messi, formed one of the deadliest attacking trios in the world at Camp Nou.
During his four-year-long stint with the Catalan giants, Neymar won two La Liga titles, three Copa del Rey crowns and a Champions League trophy.
The lethal partnership between the three came to an end when the Brazilian decided to move to Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain in a record €222 million transfer in the summer of 2017.
The 27-year-old now enjoys a similar partnership with World Cup star Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani.
The heart of the matter
Despite having left Barcelona about 18 months ago, Neymar still appears to have great affection towards his former teammate Messi.
Speaking in an interview with publication Globo Esporte, the Brazilian said, "It's a story I tell everyone. At the time when I needed the most support, the man on the team, the best in the world, came and gave me love.
When asked about a return to Camp Nou, the 27-year-old replied, "It's difficult, it's difficult. To be honest, it is very difficult because Leo was a very special guy for me at Barcelona."
The PSG star went on to talk about how Messi advised him not to be shy or scared of any player during his initial months at the club.
"He talked to me and said: 'Come here, you must be yourself, you must be happy and the same as in Santos. Do not be shy, do not be afraid of me or anyone in this club. We are here to help you.’"
During his time with Barcelona, Neymar scored 105 goals in 186 games. He has since been linked with a return to Camp Nou but recently shut down the rumours saying he feels at home with PSG.
What's next?
While Barcelona prepare for their Copa del Rey semi-final against Real Madrid on Wednesday, PSG are scheduled to face Dijon FCO in the French Cup.