Neymar Denies Altercation With Donnarumma After PSG’s Champions League Collapse

Neymar took to social media to deny reports of a heated exchange with PSG teammate Gianluigi Donnarumma after the club’s Champions League collapse on Wednesday.

Multiple European reports, including Spanish outlet Marca, stated that Neymar confronted Donnarumma after PSG’s 3–1 Champions League loss. The pair reportedly had to be separated by teammates.

In the round of 16 second leg, PSG held a 2–0 aggregate lead with just 30 minutes remaining before Karim Benzema’s spectacular 17-minute, second-half hat trick to eliminate the French giants. 

Donnarumma’s mistake that led to Benzema’s first goal, which saw the keeper pressured by the striker before making an errant pass across his own penalty area, was reportedly the impetus of the supposed altercation. 

But after posting a screenshot purportedly of a Whatsapp conversation with the PSG keeper, Neymar went on to deny the story on his Instagram.

“I hate coming here and talking about the news,” Neymar posted. “But that [story] from the last post is a lie. There was no locker room fight!!! Incompetent reporters who want to promote themselves, try next time ok?”

It wasn’t the only report of tensions coming to a head on PSG’s end Wednesday night. ESPN reported that PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and sporting director Leonardo went looking for the referee in the Bernabéu tunnel area. The report said that the pair left their box after the full-time whistle and reportedly needed security to intervene after they located the referee’s room. 

The non-call of a purported foul on Benzema prior to his first goal was the focus of their ire. It was also singled out by PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino in his postmatch remarks as a call that should have been made and a turning point that tilted the tie in the hosts’ favor.