Patrice Evra came forward to defend Neymar, who has been criticized in recent weeks for wanting to abruptly leave PSG to return to his friend Lionel Messi's Barcelona. The former Manchester United full-back and French national team player defended the Brazilian forward.
"When he arrived here (at PSG), he was the king of the world. Now that he's leaving, it seems like Neymar has killed someone," said Patrice Evra. "It's simple. A footballer needs to feel wanted. When you see a lot of negativity, you leave," he continued.
"There are a lot of people, including the media, who criticize him for diving too much. And they have created a lot of hatred around him. But he has been a good guy since he arrived and has given a lot to PSG," stated Patrice Evra.
"They talk (badly) about Neymar, but without him PSG was eliminated from the Champions League," he added.
"I don't know if he will leave, but if he does, they will lose a great player. He will return to Barcelona and be the great player he always was," concluded Patrice Evra.
Video: Evra's statements
As of the writing of this article, there is no agreement between PSG and Barcelona for Neymar. The Catalan club has until the evening of Monday, September 2, to sign the forward.
