Belo Horizonte: Neymar has hit back at claims of Uruguay captain Diego Lugano that he is "talented at winning free-kicks".
Speaking after Brazil`s 2-1 victory over Uruguay in Wednesday`s Confederations Cup semi-final at the Mineirao Stadium, Neymar moved to avoid a verbal confrontation with the centre-back, reports Xinhua.
"He has the right to say what he wants, it won`t affect me. I don`t pay any attention to it. What is important is that I help my team to win," the 21-year-old Barcelona striker said.
After the match, Lugano stood by the accusations he made Tuesday. When asked about a statement from Brazil`s football confederation (CBF) condemning Lugano`s comments, the Paris Saint-Germain defender expressed bemusement.
"Do you think I care about what the CBF or the media say? It doesn`t interest me. I say what I think without worrying about the reaction of others."
Neymar failed to score for the first time in the tournament Wednesday but played a role in both of Brazil`s goals. Fred`s opener came after a Neymar shot was blocked by Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera while he provided the assist for Paulinho`s late winner with a precise corner-kick.
Neymar said Brazil`s squad would keep a keen eye Thursday`s other semi-final between Spain and Italy in Fortaleza. But he declined to nominate a preferred rival for Sunday`s final at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
"You can`t choose who you play against. They are both difficult sides. We are going to be watching the match on a screen and try to be as prepared as possible," Neymar said.
IANS
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.