Former Barcelona midfielder Michael Laudrup has criticised the showboating of striker Neymar in the recent 5-1 win over Leganes.
Barcelona were up againstLeganes in an away match, but it turned out to be much easier than expected after they romped to a 5-1 victory. Lionel Messi scored twice in the game while there were also goals for Luis Suarez and Neymar. There was an incident in the game that got the attention of media, as Leganes’ Omar Ramos was booked for hitting out at Neymar. Even though there has been a lot of sympathy for the Brazilian,Laudrup feels that the former Santos player only got what he deserved.
Neymar was showboating away from home with his team was leading by a considerable margin. This turned on the home supporters against him andRamos lost his cool by coming up with a heavy challenge. He was later punished with a yellow card and many criticised the attack on Neymar, who is regarded as one of the best talents in world football. Former Barcelona midfielder, though, has strangely defended the actions of Ramos, as he felt that the Leganes player was infuriated by the showboating of Neymar.
A hugely talented player, Neymar has never been afraid to show his talent to the world. "Why step on the ball and walk across the pitch? To provoke them. Pass the ball and go somewhere else! At 0-4 you can't be stepping on the ball and provoking your opponents,” said Laudrup immediately upon witnessing the incident. He later stood by the criticism of Neymar in another interview.“If he were my player, I would have defended him just as they did. I think my comments have been exaggerated.I talk about my experiences. I played here for many years and I have the right to have an opinion. It has nothing to do with what team you support," said Laudrup.