Neymar defends showboating in PSG’s Ligue 1 win vs Rennes

Neymar has defended his outrageous showboating during PSG’s win over Rennes and claims he ‘knows how to provoke opponents’.

The Brazilian star made waves on social media after footage of him controlling the ball on his back and scooping the ball over an opponent trended on Twitter.

Then in the same game he appeared to offer an opposition player a hand up, before pulling away at the last second.

After controlling it with his back the PSG forward then scooped the ball into the air

By scooping the ball into the air, Neymar was able to take the ball over an opponent’s head

But as he raced past his opposite man the Brazilian was cynically brought to ground

Neymar believes he was doing his bit to inject some excitement into a sport he claims has become ‘a little boring.’ 

‘Football is a little boring right now because we can’t do anything,’ he said after the 3-2 win on Tuesday night.

‘Everything is controversial. For example, I made a joke at the end by offering my hand and then pulling it away.

‘It will cause controversy, when it’s the kind of thing I do with my friends. Why can’t I do it with opponents? It was a joke. 

Neymar went to offer a conciliatory handshake as an opponent lay on the ground

But the two players instead seemed to brush their gloves against thin air rather than each other

“They provoked me, but I also know how to provoke, in my own way, with the ball and with my football.

“I’m not here to kick out, I don’t know how to do that.’

Neymar failed to hit the target as PSG secured their place in the Coupe de la Ligue final thanks to goals from Thomas Meunier, Marquinhos and Giovani Lo Celso.

Kylian Mbappe saw red just after the hour mark, by which point the visitors were already three goals to the good.