Neymar: I don´t see a better duo in football than me and Mbappe

Neymar believes he and Kylian Mbappe have formed the best duo in world football at Paris Saint-Germain.

Mbappe and Neymar are expected to start when PSG host Manchester City in the first leg of their huge Champions League semi-final tie on Wednesday.

The French champions were beaten by Bayern Munich in the final of last season’s competition and are looking to become the ninth team to reach back-to-back finals.

Neymar arrived from Barcelona in 2017, the same summer when Mbappe was brought in from Monaco – with the two deals remaining the most expensive transfers in football history.

The two world-class forwards are at different stages of their careers and both are out of contract in 2022.

67 – Neymar has been involved in 67 goals in 67 Champions League appearances (41 goals, 26 assists). Underrated?

Often overlooked in conversations about the best players of this generation, does Neymar’s name deserve to be thrown in the hat?

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 14, 2021

Neymar hopes they can continue their partnership at PSG, which he believes is making history, for the foreseeable future.

“With Kylian Mbappe, our relationship has always been very good since his arrival,” Neymar said to RMC.

“We have been playing together for four years now and making history. He is a very high level player with whom I take a lot of fun playing. 

“I hope we will continue to play together for many years to come because it’s hard to find such a duo for sure. 

“I don’t see a better duo than us in football.”

City eliminated PSG in their only previous knockout tie meeting in European football, progressing 3-2 on aggregate in the Champions League quarter-final five years ago.

Neymar has either scored or assisted in each of his three appearances in a Champions League semi-final.

The Brazil forward has also had a direct hand in nine goals from his 12 matches against English sides in the competition (five goals and four assists).

He thinks PSG, now managed by Mauricio Pochettino after the sacking of Thomas Tuchel, are playing at their highest level since he signed for the club.

“Absolutely,” he said. “We are a team that are much more prepared and we know what to do. 

“Last year we went to the final, we hope to get there again. 

“I’m calm, I have complete confidence in my team, in my team-mates – we will get there.”