Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 9y

Barcelona's Neymar grateful for Lionel Messi penalty gesture

Neymar says he will never forget the generosity shown to him by Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi, from whom he learns new things every day.

With Barca 7-0 up at Cordoba last weekend, Neymar won a late penalty, which would usually be taken by Messi as the team's designated penalty taker.

Despite currently battling Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo in La Liga's "Pichichi" top goal-scorer race, the Argentine stepped aside to let his teammate take and score the spot kick.

The Brazilian, who had previously missed a number of clear chances during that game, told a news conference that these type of gestures were really appreciated, and he regularly picked up such lessons in the Camp Nou dressing-room.

"That gesture from Messi, the penalty, I will never forget," Neymar said. "He could have scored a hat trick, but he let me score. He is the best in the world, and I really appreciate it. Every day I learn from Messi and from my teammates. I learn from gestures like this."

Messi also laid on Neymar's goal during Wednesday's 3-0 Champions League semifinal win over Bayern Munich at the Camp Nou, after the Blaugrana No. 10 had previously put his side in control of the tie with two superb goals.

The former Santos player said Barca had played really well, however he was taking nothing for granted ahead of next Tuesday's second leg in Munich.

"We played a great game, fantastic for the lovers of football," Neymar said. "The Barca fans loved it. We played very well and things went well for us. We have 90 minutes left to reach our dream. We will have a tough opponent, Bayern, and we must beat them. In 90 minutes, at the Allianz, anything can happen. The Allianz is a very difficult stadium, but we will give everything to play a great game."

Nevertheless, with Barca also two points clear atop the Liga table with three games to play, and qualified for the Copa del Rey final, Neymar said a historic treble was "getting closer all the time."

"The objective is the treble," he said. "From the start of the season that has been our objective and it is getting closer all the time. On Saturday there is La Liga game, and we have to battle to win La Liga."

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