Superstar striker Neymar has issued an emotional warcry after Paris Saint-Germain spurned a lead to lose to Manchester City in the Champions League semifinals, insisting that he still believes they can come back in the return.
No English side has ever failed to win a two-legged knockout tie in Europe's flagship competition after winning the first leg, and Neymar and the reigning French champions face a fiendishly daunting task next week against the runaway Premier League leaders in Manchester.
Left in tears by last season's narrow Champions League final defeat to Bayern Munich, the world's most expensive player now faces heartbreak a stage earlier after extending his goal drought to six knockout matches in the competition.
"We lost the battle but the war continues," Neymar told his Instagram following of more than 149 million, reacting the morning after Paris failed to build on a dominant first-half display that included a 15th-minute opener from Marquinhos before City scored twice in the second half to win 2-1.
"I believe in my team. I believe that we can be better than we were. Allez, Paris. One percent chance, 99 percent faith."
Despite the difficulty of attempting to beat a City side in formidable form, PSG fans familiar with the Brazil playboy's taste for melodrama will feel that their prospects of turning the tie at the City of Manchester Stadium on Tuesday are more than a one-in-a-hundred.
Paris are no strangers to losing important home games this season, falling to the likes of Manchester United and Ligue 1 title rivals Monaco and Lille during a campaign at the Parc des Princes that has been dreadful by their standards.
Conversely, they have shown that foreboding away trips often hold few fears for them, including a victory at Champions League holders Bayern that ultimately sent them through to the final four.
City are also on a run of 17 successive away wins, and the pressure is likely to be felt more keenly by Pep Guardiola's side on home turf, when they have the chance to reach the final for the first time.
One viewer who will be overjoyed should PSG fail to spring a surprise in the second leg is Liam Gallagher, who branded Neymar a "dirty, diving c***" and called for the Brazil playboy to be sent off in an angry series of tweets to his millons of followers during the game.
"Neymar is an embarrassing little c***," added the devout City supporter and Oasis singer-turned-solo-artist, emphasizing his point as Spanish television translators struggled to find a way to interpret his choice words on screen.
Asked for his thoughts on Neymar and strike partner Kylian Mbappe, who failed to have a shot for the first time in his career after starting a match, Gallagher replied with equal brevity: "Both s***."
PSG are at home again on Saturday when they face fifth-placed Lens. Mauricio Pochettino's men are a point behind leaders Lille and a point above third-placed Monaco with four games of the French top-flight season remaining.
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