Barcelona: Marcelo has expressed his disappointment at Real Madrid`s failure to tempt Neymar to Santiago Bernabeu.
The 21-year-old forward is set to be unveiled at Barcelona on Monday following a €28 million move from Santos, and while he is happy his compatriot has taken the next step in his career, Marcelo admits he would much rather play alongside Neymar than face him in La Liga.
“Playing with Neymar is completely different to playing against him. I wanted him to join Real Madrid but I am happy for him, it’s a big step in his career," the 26-year-old told reporters at a press conference.
The Brazilian insists there will be no rift between the two players on international duty as they prepare to lock horns in Spain next season, and says his Spanish team-mates at Madrid are relishing the prospect of taking on Brazil in the Confederations Cup.
“It’s normal to have the odd conflict out on the pitch but once the final whistle goes, we’ll give each other a hug and forget all about it," Marcelo continued.
“My Spanish team-mates at Madrid would love Spain to meet Brazil. They respect us a lot and the feeling is mutual. It’s difficult to gauge what might happen should we meet as we haven’t played each other for quite a long time but we have to remember that they are the reigning world champions.”
Marcelo and Neymar are both part of the Brazil squad which is preparing to face England in a friendly on Sunday, after a court order suspending the game over safety concerns was overturned.
Goal.com
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.