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Rediff.com  » Sports » First Look: Neymar makes Barcelona debut!
This article was first published 11 years ago

First Look: Neymar makes Barcelona debut!

July 31, 2013 09:47 IST

Image: Barcelona's Neymar (right) is challenged by Lechia Gdansk's Lukasz Kacprzycki during a pre-season friendly in Gdansk, Poland, on Tuesday
Photographs: Adam Nurkiewicz/Getty Images

Brazilian Neymar played his first match for Spanish league champions Barcelona in a friendly against Polish club Lechia Gdansk on Tuesday.

The striker came in as a second-half substitute in a match that Barca drew 2-2.

He replaced Chile forward Alexis Sanchez in the 78th minute, just after Lionel Messi had been substituted, and was welcomed with a series of robust challenges from the home players.

The standout performer in his nation's triumph at last month's Confederations Cup, Neymar joined up with his new teammates on Monday and made the trip to Poland to feature in a Barca squad for the first time since joining from Santos.

Barca next host Neymar's former club in a friendly at the Nou Camp on Friday.