Champions League

Neymar, PSG still not at 100%

2018-10-02 16:27

Paris - Brazilian star Neymar and his coach Thomas Tuchel fully agreed Tuesday that no-one at Paris Saint-Germain was "yet at 100%."

Neymar "is perhaps not at 100%, but he's close," Tuchel said at a press conference ahead of Wednesday's Champions League home game against Red Star Belgrade.

"I'm not at 100% of my fitness, no one is at 100%, it's the start of the season and we haven't played many matches," said Neymar.

"World football reaches its peak around February and March, with the biggest matches.

"I'm working, every match, every day, on improving both physically and technically," Neymar added.

Asked about the injury in March which ended his PSG season and compounded his build-up to the World Cup in Russia, Neymar said it had made him "very sad."

Brazil's elimination from the quarter-finals of the competition was also a source of "great frustration".

But he added: "My injury, the World Cup, they are in the past."

After losing their opening group game to Liverpool, PSG need a victory against Red Star if they are to salvage their group campaign.

Tuchel said Tuesday his public statements after the loss at Anfield were not the same as his "unofficial" reaction.

"You can well imagine that the official reaction should not be the unofficial reaction," he said.

"It was a very tough defeat for us, we did not play to our best. Certain criticism had to be made in the dressing room.

"It was only the first match in the group, so you cannot exaggerate the criticism, we had to keep calm," said the German.

"I am very happy with their reaction, we have to continue tomorrow."

After saying that Neymar was not quite 100%, Tuchel said: "For me, it's normal because he was injured for a long time and it was a very difficult and complicated World Cup for him."

"He did not have a normal pre-season and everyone is watching him to see if he is in top form or if he makes mistakes, it's difficult for him.

"He's a player who needs to be in a good state of mind, training with a smile.

"Honestly, I am very happy with 'Ney', he will reach top form, 100%, and that is very necessary," the coach said.

"Now he is very confident, involved in the club and in the project here and we are very satisfied."

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Fixtures
Tuesday, 02 October 2018
Juventus v Young Boys, Allianz Stadium 18:55
Hoffenheim v Manchester City, Wirsol Rhein-Neckar-Arena 18:55
Bayern Munchen v Ajax, Allianz-Arena 21:00
Olympique Lyonnais v Shakhtar Donetsk, Groupama Stadium 21:00
Manchester United v Valencia, Old Trafford 21:00
AEK Athens v Benfica, Olympiako Stadio Spyros Louis 21:00
Roma v Viktoria Plzen, Stadio Olimpico 21:00
CSKA Moskva v Real Madrid, VEB Arena 21:00
Wednesday, 03 October 2018
PSG v Crvena Zvezda, Parc des Princes 18:55
Lokomotiv Moskva v Schalke 04, RZD Arena 18:55
Porto v Galatasaray, Estadio Do Dragao 21:00
Atletico Madrid v Club Brugge, Estadio Wanda Metropolitano 21:00
PSV v Internazionale, Philips Stadion 21:00
Borussia Dortmund v Monaco, Signal-Iduna-Park 21:00
Napoli v Liverpool, Stadio San Paolo 21:00
Tottenham Hotspur v Barcelona, Wembley Stadium 21:00
Tuesday, 23 October 2018
AEK Athens v Bayern Munchen, Olympiako Stadio Spyros Louis 18:55
Young Boys v Valencia, STADE DE SUISSE Wankdorf Bern 18:55
Real Madrid v Viktoria Plzen, Estadio Santiago Bernabeu 21:00
Ajax v Benfica, Johan Cruijff ArenA 21:00
Shakhtar Donetsk v Manchester City, Oblasny SportKomplex Metalist 21:00
Manchester United v Juventus, Old Trafford 21:00
Roma v CSKA Moskva, Stadio Olimpico 21:00
Hoffenheim v Olympique Lyonnais, Wirsol Rhein-Neckar-Arena 21:00
Wednesday, 24 October 2018
Club Brugge v Monaco, Jan Breydelstadion 18:55
PSV v Tottenham Hotspur, Philips Stadion 18:55
Liverpool v Crvena Zvezda, Anfield 21:00
Barcelona v Internazionale, Camp Nou 21:00
PSG v Napoli, Parc des Princes 21:00
Lokomotiv Moskva v Porto, RZD Arena 21:00
Borussia Dortmund v Atletico Madrid, Signal-Iduna-Park 21:00
Galatasaray v Schalke 04, Turk Telekom Stadyumu 21:00
Tuesday, 06 November 2018
Monaco v Club Brugge, Stade Louis II 19:55
Crvena Zvezda v Liverpool, Stadion Rajko Mitic 19:55
Porto v Lokomotiv Moskva, Estadio Do Dragao 22:00
Atletico Madrid v Borussia Dortmund, Estadio Wanda Metropolitano 22:00
Internazionale v Barcelona, Stadio Giuseppe Meazza 22:00
Napoli v PSG, Stadio San Paolo 22:00
Schalke 04 v Galatasaray, Veltins-Arena 22:00
Tottenham Hotspur v PSV, Wembley Stadium 22:00
Wednesday, 07 November 2018
Valencia v Young Boys, Estadio de Mestalla 19:55
CSKA Moskva v Roma, VEB Arena 19:55
Juventus v Manchester United, Allianz Stadium 22:00
Bayern Munchen v AEK Athens, Allianz-Arena 22:00
Viktoria Plzen v Real Madrid, Doosan Arena 22:00
Benfica v Ajax, Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica (da Luz) 22:00
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk, Etihad Stadium 22:00
Olympique Lyonnais v Hoffenheim, Groupama Stadium 22:00
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