‘I Started to Feel Lighter:’ Neymar Reveals Messi’s Barcelona Advice

Getty Neymar and Lionel Messi celebrate for Barcelona.

Neymar has been talking about life at Barcelona with Lionel Messi and revealed how the captain helped him settle down and thrive at the Camp Nou after a tough start.

The Brazilian has opened up on his early difficulties at Barca in his new documentary “The Perfect Chaos” which has been released on Netflix. Neymar says “everything changed” for him after an incident in the dressing room during a 1-0 defeat to Athletic at San Mamés in December 2013, as reported by Diario Sport.

“When I arrived at Barça, it seemed that I was inside a PlayStation: I shared a team with players I admired and who were like videogames,” he said. “It was difficult for me to get in. Everything was very different. The players were incredible and that scared me a bit. Everything changed in the Bilbao game.”

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Messi’s Advice ‘Changed Everything’

Messi then takes over the story and reveals he was surprised to find Neymar in tears in the locker room. The Brazilian goes on to explain, “Messi approached me and asked me what was happening to me. I tried to explain it to him in my Spanish. I can’t play, I can’t be myself.”

The Argentina international then talks about the advice he offered his new teammate. “I tried to console him and tell him to only think about playing football, not to put too much pressure on himself,” he explained. “For everything that was said about him, his situation was not easy at all. He had a weight on him that did not allow him to let go.”

Neymar admitted that Messi’s words were exactly what he needed. He said, “I think that was the kind of support I needed at that time. From then on, everything changed. I started to feel lighter.”

Neymar Admits He Wanted Barcelona Return

Neymar also admits in his documentary that he did want to return to Barcelona after famously leaving the club in 2017 for French side Paris Saint-Germain. The Brazilian was regularly linked with a move back and reveals he had decided to leave in 2019, as reported by Marca.

“When I made the decision to leave PSG, it wasn’t because of a fan or a club. It’s because I saw that I would feel better elsewhere,” he said. “I never had anything against the PSG fans, nor against the club itself. It was never that. On the contrary, I am very grateful. Even though I didn’t want to continue, I had to train and be prepared. Because if I played badly, everyone would blame me. If we lose I’m the first person responsible. I know the burden and the responsibility I have.”

Neymar ended up staying at PSG and signed a contract extension in May 2021 that runs until 2025. The Brazilian was reunited with Messi last summer when the Argentine shocked the football world by leaving Barcelona and moving to PSG on a two-year contract.

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