PSG Ultras admit they have been "harsh" on Neymar

The president of Collectif Ultras Paris (CUP) attended the studios of radio station France Bleu Paris on Monday and discussed multiple topics, including their criticism of Neymar and the damage they might have caused to the Brazil international through his time at PSG.

Romain Mabille, the president of the CUP supporters of PSG, acknowledged to "have been tough" with Neymar at some points in the past and since the former Barcelona player joined Paris Saint-Gurmain in the summer of 2017.

After signing with PSG for a lump sum of €222M back then, all eyes were (and still are) going to be over Neymar and his performances in the French capital. Neymar's transfer fee is still the largest in history by a good mile, so giving him a short lease made sense then and nowadays.

That's why the CUP, known for his extreme behaviour when it comes to their views and takes on all-things PSG, has always been critical of Neymar. While Neymar was well received upon arrival in Paris, the relationship with the Brazilian has soured a bit over time.

The turning point could have been the 2019 season, as Neymar seemingly contacted Barcelona in order for them to bring him back to Catalonia so he could rejoin Lionel Messi in Barcelona. From then on, the CUP started to showcase banners and to sing songs harsh on Neymar from the stands of the Parc des Princes.

"It is true that the banner that insulted his mother was very harsh," Mabille admitted. "We have been very hard, but the thing is that people gave him a lot of love at the beginning." Those are dubious, conflicting, and nonsensical statements, but to each his own.

Mabille, still playing the tough-guy persona in this interview and keeping up with his macho facade, went on to say that "Neymar never really acknowledged the support of PSG fans," blaming all of the drama on Neymar for "being an emotional player" that could "have had a different relationship" with the CUP.

"You have to give the PSG players the best possible conditions, so that they give everything (back to PSG, with their performances)," Mabille found the courage to say before closing the topic and moving on to discuss the ban of PSG fans from attending the Coupe Classique against Olympique Marseille on Wednesday.

Neymar returned to training with the group earlier this week and is expected to start the game against OM today along with Lionel Messi to help PSG advance to the quarter-finals of the French Cup.