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- Neymar 'Knows That He Has Made Mistakes But Has No Bad Intentions' – Thiago Silva
Neymar 'Knows That He Has Made Mistakes But Has No Bad Intentions' – Thiago Silva
Neymar's Brazil teammate Thiago Silva has backed his countryman to enjoy a "a great season" at PSG, despite ongoing speculation over his future.
Thiago Silva insists that Paris Saint Germain team-mate Neymar is well aware of the "mistakes" he made during the summer transfer window, after a failed attempt to secure a return to LaLiga.
The former Barcelona superstar made no secret of his desire to head back to Camp Nou at the end of the 2018-19 season, two years on from his world-record switch to Parc des Princes.
Neymar joined PSG for a €222 million (£200m/$245m) fee in 2017, becoming the most expensive player in history, but his time in France has been marred by injuries and off-field issues.
The Spanish champions are not expected to reignite their pursuit in January, which means the 27-year-old will be staying put for at least one more season.
And Thiago Silva has admitted that Neymar's actions in recent months were questionable, but he insists that the mercurial superstar has taken responsibility for any wrong-doing.
The 34-year-old spoke to reporters in the mixed zone after Brazil's 2-2 draw with Colombia on Saturday, stating: "He also knows that he has made mistakes but has no bad intentions. This boy is amazing, I hope he's going to have a great season. It will be unforgettable too because the PSG will celebrate its 50 years."
He also claimed that PSG boss Thomas Tuchel is "counting on" Neymar to make a big impact for the French champions this term and he hopes to see the ex-Santos winger start enjoying his football again after a turbulent year.
"Tuchel has always said he was counting on Neymar," Silva added.
"If I do not say nonsense, he was already ready to play in the last match against Metz. But because of the situation on the transfer market, he had not played.
"But the coach could already count on him. So I think it's important. Management also believes in him, otherwise, they would have let him go. We are happy about that.
"I hope he's going to have better days. It's really my wish because we know him, not just the player, but the person. Especially after the last year."
Neymar scored Brazil's second goal against Colombia, his first senior-level strike since June, with Selecao head coach Tite beaming in his praise for the talismanic attacker after the match.
Having only just returned to full fitness following an ankle ligament injury which forced him to miss the Copa America, Neymar showed little sign of ring rust while taking in the full 90 minutes in Miami.
He could now be in contention to feature for PSG against Strasbourg on Saturday, but will be unable to take part in the team's Champions League opener against Real Madrid four days later due to suspension.
