Neymar’s pained reactions to being fouled are due to ‘incredibly sensitive feet’, says PSG coach

Neymar has admirers and critics in almost equal numbers it seems at times, with parts of the footballing world both in awe of his technical ability and exasperated at the perceived over the top antics from the forward when he is fouled.

Having become a global household name at Barcelona, he moved to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 for a world record fee and has since been attempting to solidify his claim for being seen as one of the best players in the world.

While the ability is not in question, his resilience has been called into question on occasion, with the Brazilian missing several key games through injury throughout his time in France - but a member of the coaching staff at PSG says Neymar’s reactions to being fouled are legitimate.

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Zsolt Low, assistant to manager Thomas Tuchel, says Neymar feels rough challenges more than some other players, hence the reason for his frequent falls, and while he can seem “arrogant” on the pitch his playing style is simply an expression of revenge.

"Neymar has incredibly sensitive feet. If he is kicked, it gives him extreme pain," Low told Bild.

"Neymar is a warm guy, very open.

"Of course it sometimes seems arrogant what he does on the pitch. But if he is fouled, then he tries to dribble past his opponent at the next opportunity. That is his way of responding to the harshness."

PSG face RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Tuesday night, needing a win to stay in the fight to progress after two defeats from three so far in a group also containing Manchester United and Istanbul Basaksehir.

Neymar is yet to reach full fitness, says Low, but he’ll likely be involved against the Bundesliga side regardless.

"He's not yet at 100 per cent. But we need him with his experience and his quality."

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