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Brazil: Tite slams’ donkey’ coaches who play Neymar on wings

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The Selecao boss has no doubts about Neymar’s position in his World Cup lineup.

Brazil manager Tite has reacted to criticism over playing Neymar in a central role.

Neymar has played as a winger for most of his club career. During his best days at Barcelona, the Brazilian star used wide spaces down the left flank while Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez played central roles in Blaugrana’s lineup.

However, Tite believes playing in the centre activates Neymar’s creativity, which can be decisive for Brazil’s attacking efforts.

Speaking to Sextra Estrela podcast: “He’s not a problem, he’s a solution.

“They say Neymar will make more mistakes playing there. But it’s his position that makes him make more mistakes, because everything he does in creative terms there will be decisive.”

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He added: “If a coach plays Neymar on the wing, I will call him a donkey. It considerably restricts the creative capacity of a player with these qualities.

“Creativity is not constancy, it is contingency, it is circumstantial. He will make more mistakes, yes, because his creative ability is where he is required.”

Neymar scored 28 goals in his debut campaign at Parc des Princes but has failed to reach that record again. 

He has registered 23, 19, 17 and 13 goals in the following season, with Kylian Mbappe claiming the bigger share of goals at Parc des Princes. PSG are reportedly open to selling Neymar if they receive a suitable offer this summer.

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