Neymar slams former Barca bosses

PARIS - Paris Saint-Germain's world-record signing Neymar launched a scathing attack on his former club's directors, saying "Barca deserve much better".

The people in charge at the Catalan giant "are not the people who should be there, for the direction of Barca," Neymar told reporters after scoring twice in his home debut as PSG thumped Toulouse 6-2 in Ligue 1 on Sunday.

"I want to speak the truth, I'm very sad with them," said the Brazilian star who cost the Paris club a world-record $264 million to bolt from Barcelona.

"I spent four years there and I was very happy. At the start, I was happy. I spent four beautiful years there and I parted happy. But with them (the club's directors), no.

"For me, they are not the people who should be there, for the direction of Barca," said Neymar.

"Barca deserves much better and the whole world knows it."

Despite securing the massive fee for Neymar, Barcelona is struggling to replace him before the transfer window closes.

The club has had bids in excess of $100 million for Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho and Dortmund's Ousmane Dembele turned down.

And the club has been criticized for splashing out $47 million for Brazil midfielder Paulinho, who has spent two years at Chinese Super League champion Guangzhou Evergrande.

But Neymar said he could not comment on what the club was doing before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.

"I cannot speak now I am in another team. I don't know what's going on there, but I see my old teammates sad, and it's that which makes me sad because I have a lot of friends there," he said.

"I hope that things will improve for Barca and that they will become a team that can rival others."

However, former Tottenham flop Paulinho's arrival has not been warmly received by Barca fans at Camp Nou.

Over 80 percent of fans urged the club not to pay over $24 milfor Paulinho in a survey conducted by Barcelona sports daily Mundo Deportivo.

'Feeling at home'

Meanwhile, Neymar said he already feels at home at PSG after scoring twice in a dazzling display in his second match for the French club.

In addition to his two goals in his first match at Parc des Princes, Neymar set up two more and won a penalty as 10-man PSG trounced Toulouse 6-2 move to take over spot in Ligue 1.

"I already feel at home here," he told local media. "The team plays in the Brazilian style and this helps my integration.

"I love the atmosphere of the Parc des Princes. The fans supported us until the last minute. They made a lot of noise.

"Now I want to adapt quicker... I think I can improve."

The 25-year-old left his best until last on Sunday, showing brilliant control, and benefiting from a bit of luck, as he danced around five defenders before planting the ball in the back of the net in stoppage time.

"I do not really remember what happened on my second goal; the most important thing is that it went into the back of the net," he said.

Toulouse striker Andy Delort, whose foul on the Brazilian led to the penalty converted by Edinson Cavani, compared Neymar's skills to those of another Brazilian who made his mark at Barcelona and PSG.

"He's a phenomenon, an artist," Delort told L'Equipe.

"It was like Ronaldinho, we never knew what to expect when he got the ball. I do not know if there's any way to actually stop him.

"The only positive thing about it is that we only have to face him one more time in the championship."

Afp - Reuters