ARTHUR ACCEPTS HE made a mistake by attending Neymar’s birthday shortly before Barcelona’s Copa del Rey clash with Real Madrid.
The Brazil midfielder, Neymar’s international team-mate, celebrated with the former Barca star in Paris at the start of February.
Arthur started against Madrid in the first leg of the Copa Clasico semi-final two days later but suffered a hamstring injury during the game.
Speaking to reporters ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Lyon, Arthur made clear his regret at going to the event.
“I think so,” Arthur told a news conference when asked if he made an error. “Sometimes life has these ups and downs, I wanted to go but I’m also aware of my responsibilities.
“I knew what I was doing but if anybody was upset by that, it’s a process my team-mates have helped me with a lot. I’m very grateful to the club management, who have always shown a lot of concern about me.
“It was a difficult time, but the joy came back as I’ve recovered from my injury. I know I have to improve a lot as a person, when I’ve needed help I’ve always received that help and I’m very happy to be here at Barca.”
Neymar, who missed Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League shock exit to Manchester United due to injury, has been linked with a return to Barcelona.
But Real Madrid are also reportedly interested in the forward, with Arthur accepting Neymar could yet join Barca’s rivals.
“It’s an option for him that he could think about,” Arthur said. ”He’d need to speak to his family about it.
As a friend I just wish him the very best. I don’t know what he’ll choose to do.
“Me, as a friend, all I can do is wish him the very best in the world. It’s not me who signs the papers.”
Barca’s 0-0 draw at Lyon in the first leg gives them the advantage ahead of the return fixture at Camp Nou, but Arthur noted surprise results elsewhere in the competition will keep the LaLiga leaders on their toes.
Madrid and PSG are big teams and they haven’t qualified, the teams that beat them have played better, they deserved the win,” Arthur added.
“We have to respect the teams that are in the competition. We’re focused on this game, totally focused on this game. We’re expecting a lot from Lyon, we know it’s going to be very hard to win.”
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If he does live Dortmund. Think Liverpool would suit him. He seems to be able to achieve alot with limited resources and young players. Could be what the pool needs. Don’t want to see Rodgers go but Klopp would be a good replacement. YNWA
If he was to go to Liverpool and do what he has done at Dortmund, Liverpool would have a few good seasons before becoming a feeder club to teams with more money. They would end up in the relegation zone before he moved on to do the same in Spain or Italy.
Klopp could do a lot better than us, and that’s coming from a liverpool fan.
I still think arsenal would be mad to let wenger go. Much harder to win the English league than the German one. I think if arsenal do let wenger go they’ll only realise what they’ve lost afterwards.
I don’t think Klopp is the right choice for Arsenal and maybe not Liverpool. The reason they’re doing well in the CL and horrifically in the league is because they have one gameplan and domestic opposition and copped onto it. They sit back and hit on the counter to negate Dortmund’s high energy attacks. They’re afforded more time on the ball in the CL and that means they’re doing well but Klopp hasn’t adapted at all with Dortmund, Guardiola has worked out how to adjust his plan for different opponents and completely deserves the continued domination in Germany whereas Dortmund have fallen away.
I am not at all saying that Klopp is a bad manager, but seeing fans beg for their manager to be sacked and to have him placed as a saviour for any team in need simply isn’t correct.