PARIS: As the hysteria mounts ahead of Neymar’s Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) debut on Sunday focus switched from his record transfer fee to the question of which star would make way for the Brazilian.
Le Parisien daily newspaper suggested it would be Javier Pastore, the silky but fragile Argentine who was the first major signing after PSG were bought by their ambitious Qatari owners, who splashed out a world record €222 million ($262 million) for Neymar.
“After first giving up his No.10 shirt, will he (Pastore) now give him (Neymar) his place in the team,” one Le Parisien headline asked of the player who took up the No.10 shirt after Zlatan Ibrahimovic left last season, only to hand it to the Brazilian this season.
“Neymar will start on the left at the cost of Pastore,” the article claimed.
“So it’ll be Neymar, (Edinson) Cavani and without doubt (Angel) di Maria in a three pronged attack,” said Le Parisien, which then gave a long list of top signings who will be warming the PSG bench.
Alongside Pastore will be the Brazilian Lucas Moura, who is rumored to be staying as he has been friends with Neymar since the age of nine, and Germany captain at the Confederations Cup Julian Draxler, who arrived just last year in a big money transfer of his own.
Sports daily L’Equipe saw things differently, though.
“Neymar — the football version,” ran their headline in a joke about how the most expensive transfer in football history has dominated news without the 25-year-old forward even kicking a ball yet.
“A trio of Neymar, Pastore and di Maria will support Cavani,” they predicted, but were unsure where the extra man would be cut.
In the tiny Brittany town of Guingamp, with a population of around 7,000, tickets for the match have been changing hands for a king’s ransom as the Stade du Roduourou has a capacity of just over 15,000.
“We could have filled a stadium of 40,000 seats with no problem at all,” Guingamp President Bertrand Desplat told local newspaper Le Telegramme.
“Remember the star of the show is going to be Neymar and for us we want to welcome this very special player and his team in the best conditions possible,” he said.
Journalists however may find themselves a bit squeezed for space as the rustic press tribune allowing for 80 press seats has been extended to a blockbuster 350.
Meanwhile, sources said Neymar is willing to pay a fine of $2.5 million to settle tax evasion allegations in Brazil.
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Neymar fever pitch focuses on PSG makeweight
Neymar fever pitch focuses on PSG makeweight
Aston Villa beat Newcastle to stay in title hunt, Chelsea climb into top four
LONDON: Aston Villa closed to within four points of the Premier League summit with an impressive 2-0 win at Newcastle, while Chelsea climbed into the top four on Sunday.
Leaders Arsenal can stretch their advantage over Villa and Manchester City back to seven points when they host Manchester United later.
But Villa bounced back from a shock 1-0 defeat at home to Everton last weekend to remain on the fringes of the title race.
Emi Buendia put Unai Emery’s men on course for their first win at St. James’ Park since 2005 with a brilliant strike from outside the box on 19 minutes.
Newcastle were shorn of inspiration without injured captain Bruno Guimaraes in a damaging defeat for their chances of Champions League qualification.
Ollie Watkins set the seal on Villa’s victory when the England international headed in Lucas Digne’s cross two minutes from time.
Newcastle slip to ninth but still only three points outside the top five, which will likely be enough for a place in the Champions League.
Even if Villa fall short on a first league title since 1981, they are well on course for a return to Europe’s elite competition with an 11-point advantage over sixth-placed Manchester United.
Chelsea piled more pain on Crystal Palace with a 3-1 win at Selhurst Park.
Oliver Glasner promised to do his best to turn around a miserable run for the Eagles despite announcing he will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season.
The Austrian was furious at the manner club captain Marc Guehi was allowed to depart for Manchester City earlier this week and could also lose star striker Jean-Philippe Mateta before the transfer window closes.
Mateta wasted Palace’s best chance of a bright opening when he fired straight at Robert Sanchez.
But the home side never recovered after a wayward backpass from Jaydee Canvot freed Estevao to sprint clear and fire in Chelsea’s opener on 34 minutes.
The Brazilian then set up compatriot Joao Pedro to gallop in behind the Palace defense and double the Blues’ advantage just after half-time.
Enzo Fernandez’s penalty rounded off a fourth win in five games for Liam Rosenior since he took charge at Stamford Bridge.
Palace’s misery was compounded when England international Adam Wharton was sent off for two bookable offenses.
After 11 games without a win, the Eagles are now looking over their shoulder, just eight points above the relegation zone.
Nottingham Forest gave their survival chances a huge boost by inflicting just a second home defeat of the season on Brentford.
West Ham’s victory over Sunderland on Saturday piled the pressure on Sean Dyche’s men.
But they responded to move five points clear of the drop zone with a 2-0 win in west London thanks to goals from Igor Jesus and Taiwo Awoniyi.
Leaders Arsenal can stretch their advantage over Villa and Manchester City back to seven points when they host Manchester United later.
But Villa bounced back from a shock 1-0 defeat at home to Everton last weekend to remain on the fringes of the title race.
Emi Buendia put Unai Emery’s men on course for their first win at St. James’ Park since 2005 with a brilliant strike from outside the box on 19 minutes.
Newcastle were shorn of inspiration without injured captain Bruno Guimaraes in a damaging defeat for their chances of Champions League qualification.
Ollie Watkins set the seal on Villa’s victory when the England international headed in Lucas Digne’s cross two minutes from time.
Newcastle slip to ninth but still only three points outside the top five, which will likely be enough for a place in the Champions League.
Even if Villa fall short on a first league title since 1981, they are well on course for a return to Europe’s elite competition with an 11-point advantage over sixth-placed Manchester United.
Chelsea piled more pain on Crystal Palace with a 3-1 win at Selhurst Park.
Oliver Glasner promised to do his best to turn around a miserable run for the Eagles despite announcing he will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season.
The Austrian was furious at the manner club captain Marc Guehi was allowed to depart for Manchester City earlier this week and could also lose star striker Jean-Philippe Mateta before the transfer window closes.
Mateta wasted Palace’s best chance of a bright opening when he fired straight at Robert Sanchez.
But the home side never recovered after a wayward backpass from Jaydee Canvot freed Estevao to sprint clear and fire in Chelsea’s opener on 34 minutes.
The Brazilian then set up compatriot Joao Pedro to gallop in behind the Palace defense and double the Blues’ advantage just after half-time.
Enzo Fernandez’s penalty rounded off a fourth win in five games for Liam Rosenior since he took charge at Stamford Bridge.
Palace’s misery was compounded when England international Adam Wharton was sent off for two bookable offenses.
After 11 games without a win, the Eagles are now looking over their shoulder, just eight points above the relegation zone.
Nottingham Forest gave their survival chances a huge boost by inflicting just a second home defeat of the season on Brentford.
West Ham’s victory over Sunderland on Saturday piled the pressure on Sean Dyche’s men.
But they responded to move five points clear of the drop zone with a 2-0 win in west London thanks to goals from Igor Jesus and Taiwo Awoniyi.
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