NEYMAR SENDS GIFT TO FORMER TEAMMATE

Paris Saint Germain (PSG) forward Neymar has sent agift to former Barcelona teammate Ivan Rakitic. Croatian international Rakitic revealed the lovely gesture from Neymar via his official Twitter handle.

Neymar sent Rakitic a PSG shirt with his name on the back. Rakitic talked about the gift from Neymar after his Sevilla side faced a PSG team without Neymar in a pre-season friendly last week. Rakitic was on target from the penalty spot as the two teams (Sevilla and PSG) shared a four-goal thriller. The two Champions League campaigners played out a 2-2 draw in the Algarve as they continue preparations for the new season.

Brazilian international Neymar was absent from the friendly clash with Neymar as he’s on holiday at the moment after representing Brazil at the Copa America tournament.

Rakitic and Neymar were teammates at Barcelona for many years before the Brazilian left to join current club PSG for a world-record fee in 2017. The two players shared the dressing room for three years.

Croatian midfielder Rakiticmoved from Sevilla to Barcelona in the summer of 2014, while Neymar left Santos in his native Brazil for Barcelona one year earlier. Rakitic and Neymar were in the Barcelona XI for the game against Italian Serie A giants Juventus and they both scored as the Catalans beat Juventus 3-1. Rakitic scored the opening goal of the game, while Neymar wrapped up the win when the Old Lady were threatening to get back into the game.

Rakitic and Neymar were influential as Barcelona won the Champions League title in 2015 by beating Juventus in the final. Rakitic is back at Sevilla after spending six years at the Nou Camp, while Brazilian star Neymar has been linked with a return to Barcelona several times but he recently signed a new deal until 2025.