Neymar shines on PSG debut, says he’s ‘more alive than ever’

Neymar, who signed from Barcelona last week, missed the start of the season at the Parc des Princes against Amiens due to paperwork problems. Hired for a world-record 222 million euros ($262 million), he started on the left wing of PSG’s attack in the small Brittany town.

Neymar looked intensely focused from the start, easily switching from one wing to the other, and often taking a playmaker role.

Pre-match festivities in the small Brittany town included some fireworks, but Neymar was jeered by a handful of fans as he came on the pitch to warm up with his teammates, pointing a finger toward the sky. By the end, many local fans gave him a standing ovation.

Neymar’s first touch in the French league was a long ball for Angel Di Maria that landed on the edge of the box, but the Argentine player could not latch onto it.

Neymar’s vision, acceleration and through balls in a weaker league than Spain’s unsettled Guingamp’s back four, and his trademark dribbles were also on display at the Roudourou. Midfielder Lucas Deaux will be remembered as the first French league player to be nutmegged by the former Barcelona star.

Encouragingly for PSG, Neymar has already gelled with Cavani, with both players finding each other instinctively despite the lack of space in the Guingamp box.

The big question that immediately emerged when Neymar signed with PSG was how he could fit into coach Unai Emery’s system. Neymar proved he can play well with the Uruguay forward, especially if Emery continues to use Cavani in a central position.

“I knew he was a top player,” Neymar said about Cavani. “Now I’m playing with him. He is a great player, and when you have such great players in a team, it’s easy.”

Neymar completed 103 passes, one of which set up Cavani in the 62nd minute, as his teammate scored his 90th goal in 135 topflight matches. Cavani then turned provider to set up Neymar with a cut-back pass that the Brazil captain converted from close range with a poke in the 82nd minute.

“I was more impressed by Cavani, who scored again,” said Guingamp veteran striker Jimmy Briand. “Neymar, there is no need to introduce him anymore. We knew he was going to be a big threat.”

On a sleepy summer Sunday, the atmosphere slowly built in the small town of Guingamp, though most of the streets were still empty mid-afternoon.

Fans later gathered for pre-match drinks at a downtown bar, “Le panier a salade (The salad shaker),” where walls are adorned with autographed jerseys from Guingamp players.

Some PSG fans mingled with home supporters in a friendly atmosphere.

“It’s magic to see Neymar at the Roudourou stadium,” said Florian Nicolas, a 30-year-old PSG fan who settled in Brittany five years ago. “This match will be watched worldwide.”

A town of 7,000 inhabitants known for its local galette-Saucisse treat —a sausage rolled in a crepe — Guingamp is also football-crazy and has witnessed the emergence of world-class players including the likes of Didier Drogba and Florent Malouda in the early 2000s. A club-record 18,378 fans watched Sunday’s game.

Samuel Petrequin, The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

Neymar shines on PSG debut, says he’s ‘more alive than ever’

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