Neymar says his stunning performance in Barcelona's belief-defying 6-1 win against Paris Saint-Germain was the best he has ever produced.
Sergi Roberto scored the winning goal in stoppage time, but the Brazilian was the driving force as Barca scored three times in the final seven minutes of their Champions League round-of-16 second-leg tie against the French champions en route to the competition's biggest ever comeback.
As well as being his side's biggest threat throughout the match, Neymar scored two goals and created another to knock PSG out of Europe, 6-5 on aggregate, in an exhilarating ending to what developed into an encounter for the history books at Camp Nou.
"It's the best game I have played in my life," Neymar said afterwards. "For the history, for the goals, for the level of the team. I'm in a good moment of form, a really good moment. I am really happy."
Barca had quickly been written off after their 4-0 loss in the first leg at the Parc des Princes, but the belief among those associated with the club had been growing in the build up to the game.
Luis Enrique backed his players to score six in his pregame news conference on Tuesday, while Luis Suarez, speaking before him, was keen to press that the game would last for 95 minutes.
Sergi Roberto's winning goal arrived with 94:39 reading on the game clock.
"We believed we could do it," Neymar continued. "We knew we could do it, that we could come back in any game. We believe in our players, in the team and we are capable of everything.
"I told Sergi to get in the area, that he would score a goal. When we conceded we dipped a little. Then in a few minutes we scored two goals and ... ufff.
"We played with responsibility, with joy, with pressure and with the ball. The first week after Paris was tough, it did a lot of damage, but then we recovered our football and since the second week we've been desperately waiting for the game to arrive and to write history."
Barcelona's staff spilled on to the pitch to celebrate at the final whistle in scenes more reminiscent of a Champions League final than a round-of-16 tie.
Gerard Pique admitted that he's going to party into the night, but was keen to add that he will be in for training on Thursday and raring to go when Barca return to league action against Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday.
"It's an historic feat which has never happened before," the defender said. "This is the greatest. There is no comparison.
Read More:[PHOTO] Huge whale measuring at least 9 metres long washes up on Devon beach
"There are a lot of people who've tried to bury us -- coaches like [Arrigo] Sacchi and [Raymond] Domenech. One day we will abdicate, but we're still there. Those that didn't want us to get through won't have a good day today, but the sun will be back up tomorrow."
And he joked: "Hospitals are going to have to hire more nurses during the next nine months because there's going to be a lot of love tonight.
"I am going to party, but [on Thursday] I will be in for training because it's time to focus on the league."
No comments:
Post a Comment