Alves: PSG must play for Neymar as teams do for Ronaldo and Messi
The ex-PSG defender has argued that teams must be built around Neymar, as they are for players of the calibre of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Nominated as the Copa América player of the tournament, Dani Alves was a guest on Sport TV programme Ben Amigos in Brazil, where the full-back spoke about former PSG team mate, compatriot and close friend Neymar, who looks to be on the verge of leaving the Parisian club.
And in the interview, Alves argued that teams must be built around Neymar, as they are for players of the calibre of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
"Teams play for Messi and Cristiano, and I think the team must also play for Neymar. They are different kinds of players, the more the team plays for them, the better response they will give on the pitch, and that's not a matter of selfishness,” said Alves, who is currently a free agent after his contract expired with PSG at the end of June.
The 36-year-old defender went on to explain how he did the same for Messi when he was at Barcelona, where the two shared a dressing room for nine seasons.
"I, for example, had created that with Messi. I was doing the same with him, in my team I only had to give him the ball so he could dribble, assist or score a goal,” he stated.
Messi and Neymar need touch ball every two minutes
Alves also explained how he communicated with Neymar to help him reach his full potential and worked hard on the pitch to ensure that he gave his younger team mate as much attention as he gave to Messi.
"My job as a friend is to show him what he must do to improve. If Messi spends two minutes without touching the ball, he disconnects himself from the game and I cannot leave him without touching the ball, he has to have contact, like Neymar.”