Neymar’s Brazil team-mate Lucas Paqueta defends Paris Saint-Germain star as the club’s fans boo him

Lucas Paqueta has insisted Neymar is a uniting influence in the Brazil squad after the Paris Saint-Germain star has been booed by fans after the club’s Champions League exit. 

PSG were 2-0 up on aggregate against Real Madrid in their European round of 16 tie before collapsing, conceding a Karim Benzema hat-trick in 17 minutes and losing 3-2 as a stellar front three of Neymar, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe failed to fire. 

Since then, Neymar and Messi have been regularly booed and jeered by the French club’s supporters – but Neymar’s international team-mate Paqueta defended him to the hilt.

Fans of Neymar’s club Paris Saint-Germain have booed him since their Champions League exit

He said: ‘Neymar, above all, is a great person, a great professional, who has an incredible talent, without a doubt is our best player in the Brazilian team. 

‘Having him with us is a privilege, particularly me, when I have the Neymar on my side, I feel much stronger, as do all my teammates. 

‘I think he also feels the same, we motivate each other more, hug each other more and that makes us stronger.’

But fellow Selecao star Paqueta (left) has heaped praise on the PSG forward’s professionalism

Paqueta then addressed accusations of an RMC Sport journalist that Neymar turns up ‘on the verge of being drunk’ to PSG training.

He added: ‘It’s even disrespectful to speak, to convey information that is not true. Obviously he (Neymar) didn’t comment on that, I believe it’s a lie. People talk too much and it ends up affecting us a little in a way, it’s difficult to filter all that. You can’t believe what people say… I believe Neymar is a great professional.’

The Selecao play their final World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Bolivia on Thursday and the following Wednesday, having already secured a spot at the Qatar tournament later this year.