Sports

Neymar jeered, insulted by angry fans on return to PSG team

The world's most expensive player Neymar's name was booed by supporters when the teams were read out at the Parc des Princes, and his first touches of the ball were also whistled.

By AFP
September 14, 2019

Neymar was loudly jeered and met with a barrage of insults by Paris Saint-Germain fans on Saturday as he made his first appearance for the club in four months in their Ligue 1 game at home to Strasbourg.

The world's most expensive player's name was booed by supporters when the teams were read out at the Parc des Princes, and his first touches of the ball were also whistled.

The Brazilian was also greeted with loud chants in Spanish aimed at his mother. A banner briefly unfurled at one end of the ground in Portuguese, aimed at Neymar´s father who is also his agent, read: "Neymar Senior, sell your son in the Vila Mimosa".

Vila Mimosa is a district of Rio de Janeiro known for prostitution.

Neymar had not played for PSG in four months having spent the close season trying to push through a return to his former club Barcelona, two years after moving in the opposite direction.

The transfer window closed on September 2, bringing the saga to an end.

The 27-year-old has since been away on international duty for Brazil in two friendly matches in the United States, scoring one goal and making another in a 2-2 draw with Colombia and then coming on as a substitute in a 1-0 loss to Peru.

Those were his first appearances this season after he was left out of PSG's opening four league games amid the uncertainty over his future.

Neymar is suspended for PSG's opening Champions League game against Real Madrid on Wednesday.