I have played the greatest game of my life: Neymar
Barcelona, March 9 (IANS) From being written off after the first leg 0-4 defeat against Paris Saint Germain to making one of the greatest comebacks of all time by winning 6-1 on Wednesday night here and 6-5 on aggregate, Barcelona star Neymar said the game was his best till date.
“It’s the best game I have played in my life,” Neymar, who scored a peach of a free-kick to start the turnaround after Edinson Cavani had scored an important away goal, was quoted as saying by ESPNFC.
Barca first scored three goals but was pinned down by a Cavani volley. With the aggregate then heavily stacked against the hosts at 3-5, the former Champions League winners scored thrice to stun the footballing fraternity at large.
“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,” Neymar, who was the sole shining light in the first leg as well in Paris, said.
“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.”
Barca’s support 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.
“It’s an historic feat which has never happened before,” the defender said. “This is the greatest. There is no comparison.
“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.”
