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Neymar departed from Barcelona because he wanted to escape from the shadow of Lionel Messi. At least that's the former Los Cules’ defender, Jeremy Mathieu, said.
Neymar became the center of attention in the transfer market last summer after Paris Saint-Germain dared to redeem his contract in Barca worth 222 million euros. Neymar's departure was then raised a lot of questions because traditionally PSG is far below Barca.
PSG has a lot of money to build a tough team and Neymar has strengthened one of the best teams in the world today, Barca. Even so, there is a major factor that eventually make Neymar leave: Messi.
Neymar is recognized as the best player of Brazil at the moment and one of the greatest player in the world. But as long as he is under the shadow of Messi, he will not be equal to the Argentine player or Cristiano Ronaldo.
Therefore, PSG was appointed by Neymar to become a club that can lead him to the highest place, match or even surpass Messi and Ronaldo.
"At that moment no one thought he would leave Barca, but that's football, that's it... it's his decision," Mathieu told EFE as quoted by FourFourTwo.
"I think he's gone because he does not want to be under Leo anymore I think he wants to win the Ballon d'Or and he is happy now in Paris because he scored a lot of goals," said Mathieu, who now plays for Sporting CP.
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