Neymar plans to emulate Messi by mentoring Mbappe

The relationship between Neymar and Kylian Mbappe continues to blossom, with the Brazilian looking to follow Lionel Messi’s example in guiding the teenager.

Both Neymar and Mbappe were on target as Paris Saint-Germain underlined their dominance of Champions League Group B on Wednesday with a 4-0 rout of Anderlecht.

Either side of the prolific Edinson Cavani in a devastating attacking triumvirate, Neymar and Mbappe have nine and four goals respectively this season, following the latter’s arrival from Monaco on what will become a €180million deal.

The elder statesman of the two despite being just 25 years of age, Neymar plans to look after his young team-mate in much the same way Messi mentored him at Barcelona.

Asked if Mbappe was his new best friend, Neymar replied: “He is, indeed. He is a golden boy and he’s been doing very well.

“He’s a great player and has all the qualities to become one of the big names in football. I wish him all the best and I will help him in everything I can.

“Hopefully, I can do for him the same thing that Messi has done for me.”

3/3 
Victoire 4-0 contre Anderlecht  pic.twitter.com/8LJor1TT1y

— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) October 18, 2017

Like Mbappe, Dani Alves joined PSG in the off-season and the Brazil full-back insists his new club must strive for continual improvement, despite sitting pretty at the summit of both Ligue 1 and their European group.

“We are in the middle of a process. We have to improve in some aspects of our game, it is obvious,” he said.

“Every team always needs to improve something to try and achieve its goals. We are on the right track for it, I am sure. We’ve been improving and our ambition is greater than any obstacle we may find on the way.

“We have to keep going on this path of winning matches and increasing the expectations on us.

“For that [becoming the best team in the world], we must win trophies.

“We are in the process, it’s clear that we’ve got quality players, a good mixture of experienced players and talented youngsters. But these kind of definitions, we should do just at the end.”