Celtic youngster Anthony Ralston brushes off Neymar snub as PSG striker refuses to shake hands
A case of 'money can't buy you class'? Or maybe there was a reason for the Brazilian forward's post-match mood...
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Your support makes all the difference.Celtic youngster Anthony Ralston has dismissed Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar’s post-match snub as “not a big deal”.
Ralston, a defender tipped as Scotland’s future right-back, endured a torrid night against the world’s most expensive player as his Celtic side lost 5-0.
His embarrassment was compounded at the final whistle as he approached Neymar for a handshake and asked to swap shirts, only to be rejected on both counts (see video below).
“It was not a big deal. I won't dwell on that too much,” the 18-year-old said.
“If that is the case, and that is the way he wants to be, then fine. I don't care. Like I said, everybody is different, so I won't lose any sleep over it.”
Ralston added that he prepared for Neymar like he would any striker he faced in the Scottish Premier League.
“I didn't fear the likes of Neymar,” he added. "I didn't dwell on it too much. I just knew I had to play my normal game. I prepared for Neymar the way I'd prepare for any normal game.
“I did exactly the same routine. It's just another man on the pitch you are playing against. I don't put him on a pedestal. You just deal with it.”
“Deal with it” may be a generous self-summary of a game in which Neymar scored and was by far the dominant player in a duel down Celtic’s right flank.
The Brazilian forward’s post-match mood may well have been influenced by Ralston’s agricultural approach to defensive duties.
Watch a video of the incident below:
The youngster scythed down his opponent early on just moments after being skinned on the outside, and then tried the same again later on earning himself a booking from the referee.
Ralston then accosted Neymar following another clash in the second-half, laughing in the PSG forward’s face – an act Neymar appeared to imitate at the final whistle.
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