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Attendance: 47,505
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Ligue 1 | Gameweek 5
Sep 14, 2019 at 4.30pm UK
 
Strasbourg

1-0

Neymar (92')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Neymar vows to give his all for Paris Saint-Germain after failed summer exit

Neymar scored with an overhead kick in injury time in a 1-0 victory over Strasbourg.

Neymar says he understands why he was booed by his own supporters – even after scoring a spectacular winner on his Paris St Germain return.

The Brazilian returned to the PSG side for the first time this season after his very public desire to move back to Barcelona over the summer eventually came to nothing.

Thomas Tuchel put Neymar straight back in the starting line-up after he scored for Brazil last week and he was booed by a noisy section of PSG fans throughout.

Neymar celebrates his late winner
Neymar celebrates his late winner (Francois Mori/AP).

Jeers could even be heard after the world's most expensive footballer prevented what had looked like being a goalless draw with Strasbourg by scoring an overhead kick in injury time.

Neymar said in quotes reported by L'Equipe: "We all know what happened (in the summer). I understand that it is very difficult for them (the fans).

"But from now on, I am a PSG player. If they want to whistle me, there is no problem. There are more than 25 players in the squad, you cannot focus on one.

"The other players do not deserve to be subjected to this. We have a team and we have to support the club, support Paris. When the crowd is behind the team, together we are stronger."

Asked if he had a message for the fans, he said: "No, nothing. I just want to thank my team-mates for allowing me to score this goal."

As well as Neymar's return, there were also debuts for goalkeeper Keylor Navas, signed from Real Madrid, who PSG play in the Champions League on Wednesday, and Inter Milan loanee Mauro Icardi.

Navas said on psg.fr: "I feel very good and I am very happy after this win. It was a difficult match, but my team-mates played a great match and Neymar scored the winning goal.

Neymar faces a battle to win over the Paris St Germain fans
Neymar faces a battle to win over the Paris St Germain fans (Francois Mori/AP).

"We had to push and score in the very last minute, it was liberating. Neymar is important to the team, we are happy to have him with us."

The result was cruel on Strasbourg, who were the only Ligue 1 team not to lose to PSG in the league last season.

Manager Thierry Laurey told a press conference: "We had played the match that had to be played, conceding the fewest opportunities.

"Unfortunately, a match lasts 94 or 95 minutes and there was an unexpected event, if we can call it that. It's frustrating and cruel.

"We had situations to go ahead and score. If we did not manage to take the advantage it was because we missed a little something. But I am proud of the players."

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Nuno da Costa in action for Strasbourg on March 30, 2019
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Paris Saint-GermainPSG16124044143040
2Marseille1593332181430
3MonacoMonaco1693426161030
4Lille1576225151027
5Lyon157442720725
6Nice156632819924
7Lens156631914524
8Auxerre156362323021
9Toulouse156361717021
10Reims155552018220
11Brest156182427-319
12Rennes155282020017
13StrasbourgStrasbourg154562527-217
14NantesNantes153571724-714
15Angers153481426-1213
16Saint-EtienneSt Etienne1541101234-2213
17Le HavreLe Havre1540111129-1812
18Montpellier HSCMontpellier1523101538-239


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