By Mark Baber
April 4 – Barcelona have ignored Neymar’s preference to play in both the Olympics and Copa America Centenario this summer and announced they will refuse to release the player twice – and would be “enchanted” if he played in the Olympics, whilst also trying to dampen speculation the player might move to another club.
Although Barcelona must release Neymar for international duty if the Brazilian coach (currently Dunga) requests he join the Copa America squad, talks have been held between Brazil and Barca over his participation in Brazil’s twin efforts in the Copa America in the USA (from June 4 potentially through to June 26) and the Olympics (from August 4 to potentially August 20) .
On Saturday Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu told reporters: “It will be impossible to convince us [to release the player twice]. We are aware of the importance [of the Copa America], but our view is that players need to have some rest after two strong seasons.”
“We see no problem in Neymar playing at the Olympics,” he said. “The club would be enchanted, and I would take him if I were the Brazilian manager.”
Brazil are keen to win the Olympic gold medal in football on home soil and Neymar could potentially be one of the three over-age players allowed in a squad made up of under-23 players.
Dunga himself was widely reported as having expressed a wish for Neymar to play in his Olympics squad, in preference to his Copa America squad – although with Brazil’s campaign to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in trouble, with speculation he will be replaced as Olympics coach and with the Copa America potentially decisive to his future as Brazil’s coach, he may come to regret his preference.
Meanwhile speculation about Neymar’s future has been encouraged by his agent Ribeiro who told L’Equipe: “He is a beloved player there and is part of the best team in the world.
“It is not easy to impose yourself at such a huge club, but the prospect of living in a city like Paris and playing for a club like PSG is a dream for every player too.”
For his part, Bartomeu insisted the club were not worried about contract negotiations, saying: “Barca don’t need to hurry. We won’t put pressure on the player, and instead we will allow him to focus on the competitions, I know we won’t have problems because the player himself has already said he wants to stay. Our plan is to have him here until the end of his career.”
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1714315916labto1714315916ofdlr1714315916owedi1714315916sni@r1714315916ebab.1714315916kram1714315916