Neymar neurosis clouds Brazil’s Wembley trip

LONDON: It is with a raincloud hovering above the head of their talisman Neymar that Brazil are gearing up for their final assignment of 2017 against England at Wembley on Tuesday (today).

Though Neymar has scored 11 goals in 12 games since his world-record move to Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona, recent weeks have yielded stories of rifts with his teammates and disagreements with coach Unai Emery.

He cut a fragile figure in the press conference that followed Brazil’s 3-1 win over Japan in a friendly in Lille on Friday, wiping away tears as national coach Tite spoke out in his defence and then hurriedly leaving the room.

“When you are an idol, an example in the eyes of so many people, you have to be perfect and very often I am not,” Neymar said before his abrupt departure.“I am a young man of 25 with a lot to learn in football.”

Neymar has generally dazzled in Ligue 1 since completing his 222 million euros ($259 million) transfer from Barcelona, but his recent performances have betrayed signs of unease.He was sent off in PSG’s 2-2 draw at Marseille after being shown a second yellow card for reacting angrily to a foul by Lucas Ocampos.

Although he scored (and squandered a penalty) against Japan, he was also booked for cuffing Hiroki Sakai — who, coincidentally, plays for Marseille — on the back of the head.More worrying yet for PSG’s fans have been the reports emanating from Brazil that Neymar has already expressed regret about leaving Barcelona.

Neymar aside, Brazil have had a little else to worry about, having finished 10 points clear in the South American qualifying tournament for next year’s World Cup following the dynamising mid-campaign appointment of Tite as coach.

Tite is expected to rotate his starting XI from the Japan game, with Neymar’s PSG colleagues Dani Alves and Marquinhos, as well as Philippe Coutinho and Diego, among the players tipped to come into the starting XI.