This archive report was first published on 26 November 2019.
Paris Saint-Germain's record signing, Neymar, has grown up as a person and player, according to teammate Marquinhos, ahead of their Champions League match against Real Madrid on Tuesday.
Marquinhos, the PSG vice-captain, told AFP that Neymar has matured significantly since joining the club from Barcelona in 2017 for a record 222 million euros.
Despite concerns over his performance in the Champions League, Marquinhos believes Neymar has always been committed to the Parisian cause.
'Ney has always been thorough,' Marquinhos said. 'He is someone who doesn't do things by halves. It shows on the field. When he takes the ball he wants to be decisive.'
Marquinhos also defended Neymar against criticism of his decision to fly to Madrid to watch the Davis Cup tennis last week, saying that the Brazilian worked well during the week and did everything right.
With PSG already qualified for the last 16, Tuesday's game against Real Madrid will serve as an indicator of whether the French side can finally be considered genuine Champions League contenders.
It may also offer a clue as to whether Neymar is finally going to live up to the 222 million price tag which has weighed heavily on him in big games over the last two years.
