Luis Enrique and Gerard Pique reprimand Neymar for showboating

Luis Enrique and Gerard Pique both had firm words for Neymar following the Brazilian’s controversial act of showboating towards the end of the Copa del Rey final.

Although Neymar was unrepentant of his flick over Unai Bustinza towards the end of Barca’s 3-1 win over the Basques at the Camp Nou, his team-mate and coach felt differently.

“Perhaps Neymar did not have to give such a spectacle,” said Pique, although the defender added that “we should not give it too much importance, it is a bit of everything”.

Luis Enrique had some harsher words for Neymar, meanwhile.

“If I were an Athletic player I would have reacted the same, or perhaps worse,” said the coach.

“In Spain it is badly looked upon, in Brazil there is another context, and it is more normal. But it’s easy to understand why they reacted as they did given that they were losing.”