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Under-fire Neymar gets Suarez backing

April 22, 2016 10:51 IST

'We are humans, not machines'

Barcelona's Neymar reacts after missing a goal against Valencia

IMAGE: Barcelona's Neymar reacts after missing a goal against Valencia last weekend. Photograph: Albert Gea/Reuters

Barcelona’s Luis Suarez has come to the rescue of under-fire teammate Neymar and added it was important to get back to winning ways against Deportivo after Barca suffered three consecutive league defeats for the first time since 2003, allowing Atletico Madrid to draw level on points with them and Real Madrid to move one behind.

“We were really keen to win as we had gone many games without winning, we are human and it hurts when you lose, but we got the win and we were superior so we feel more relaxed now,” added Suarez who also defended fellow Barca striker Neymar whose recent form has been criticised.

“We are humans, not machines, we can have ups and down and it hurts that everyone has blamed him. When we won everything last year no one said it was just because of Neymar and it's not all his fault now," Suarez said.

Earlier on Thursday, Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu unveiled plans for the redevelopment of the club's Nou Camp stadium. The project, designed by a Japanese firm, will increase the ground’s capacity from 99,000 to 105,000 spectators and install a roof. Redevelopment is set to begin in 2017 and finish in 2021, with the bulk of the work taking place in the off season to avoiding affecting Barcelona’s home games.

“A club like ours needs the best stadium, we all win with the new Nou Camp,” Bartomeu said. 

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