Edinson Cavani’s career with Paris Saint-Germain came to an end in June when the capital club’s leading goal-scorer declined a two-month contract extension to participate with PSG in the restart of the UEFA Champions League competition.
In a recent interview with ESPN Argentina, Cavani spoke about his relationship with his former teammate Neymar Jr.
Furthermore, he talks about a famous incident between them when they argued over who would take the penalty-kick against Olympique Lyonnais during the 2017-18 season.
“Ney is a good boy. The only time I argued with Ney, everyone knows, was the match against Lyon,” Cavani said. “We had an argument and even in the locker room, there was a discussion and everything… The rest, everything that we can say about our arguments is not true. Honestly, this is not true.”
Despite both players being from South America and the Brazil international having the ability to speak Spanish, Cavani admits that their relationship was strictly work-related, which isn’t a bad thing, he adds.
“Yes, we are very different. As I have always said, in a group, we don’t have to be all friends or brothers,” Cavani said. “What matters inside a group, in my opinion, is to be friends on the ground, protect each other, run for each other. Afterward in the locker room, there is no need to have a mate with everyone, nor to go out to eat with everyone.”
Nonetheless, the former PSG striker says that they don’t need to be friends and go out for dinner every week to work together where it matters the most, on the pitch.
“What cannot be negotiated is respect on the pitch and commitment on the pitch to your teammates,” Cavani said. “Yes we are very different, yes we haven’t shared a lot of things, yes we think differently but that doesn’t prevent having a good relationship.
Cavani could return to the Parc des Princes in a few days when his new club, Manchester United FC, visits Paris to kick-off the Champions League group stage.
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