This archive report was first published on 15 July 2019.
On July 15, 2019, Paris Saint-Germain resumed training, but one key player was noticeably absent: Neymar. The world's most expensive player, who joined PSG for 222 million euros ($250 million) in 2017, had a prior agreement to stay away, according to his camp.
However, this explanation did not sit well with the club, which responded by threatening to take 'appropriate action' against Neymar. The player's delayed arrival was a week late, sparking further tension in an already strained relationship.
Just days prior, Neymar had made headlines with a series of remarks that sparked outrage on social media. When asked by online sports channel Oh My Goal about his best memory in football, Neymar replied that it was Barcelona's incredible 2017 Champions League victory over PSG, when he was part of the team that overturned a 4-0 first-leg deficit by winning 6-1 in the second leg.
Adding fuel to the fire, Neymar had earlier posted a 10-second video of himself in a Barcelona shirt, accompanied by a quote from the Bible: 'No weapon turned against you will prosper.'
