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Copa America: Brazil's Neymar makes Lionel Messi Argentina demand

After Brazil secured a spot in the 2021 Copa America final, Neymar issued a demand to Argentina captain Lionel Messi and company.

The Paris Saint-Germain superstar helped his national team record a 1-0 victory in their semi-final win over Peru early this morning, registering a stunning assist by dribbling past a number of defenders to set up match-winner Lucas Paqueta for a cool finish.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Neymar was quick to reveal who he wants to face in the final.

"I want Argentina because I have many friends there and I want to face them, and for Brazil to win," he said after the match.

Neymar and Messi are widely known to be good friends, with the pair having shared a dressing room at FC Barcelona, while the Brazilian is also closely acquainted with Albiceleste stars Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes, who are his teammates at PSG.

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The Selecao attacker also had some praise for match-winner Paqueta.

"Paqueta is a great player and has been growing with each game," Neymar added. "He had a great season with his club [Olympique Lyon] and he is a very important player for the Brazilian team."

Despite the win, however, the Brazil attacker was left unimpressed with Chilean referee Roberto Tobar, who refused to consult the video assistant referee regarding a possible penalty.

"He is a very arrogant referee. The way he looks. It is disrespectful," Neymar continued. "He can be wrong or right, that is part of the game, but he cannot be a Copa América semi-final referee."

Messi's Argentina will take on Colombia in the other semi-final early on Wednesday morning, with the winner of that match set to face the tournament hosts at the Maracana Stadium on 11 July.

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