Tuchel also insists Adrien Rabiot has "more levels to reach" with PSG, amid reported interest from Barcelona.
Thursday 7 November 2019 14:33, UK
Paris Saint-Germain head coach Thomas Tuchel has admitted he will have to tread carefully around Neymar but believes he has a "connection" with the Brazil star.
Neymar, the most expensive player in the world, is believed to have suffered a strained relationship under former boss Unai Emery last season, while the forward also reportedly had a falling out with Edinson Cavani.
The Brazilian was criticised for his on-pitch theatrics during the World Cup, specifically during their last-16 victory against Mexico, before suffering a quarter-final defeat against Belgium.
"I'm very sure that I have a connection with him and I'm very sure that I need to have a connection with these kinds of players," Tuchel said.
"He's an outstanding player. He knows how to handle big victories, he also knows how to handle defeats, because that's the way sport is.
"It's always a big challenge to bounce back and I will help him with that. (But) what I talk about with him, when I talk with him, it's a secret that I keep."
I know when I speak about Neymar there's a lot of potential to every word that I say.
Neymar missed the final two months of the Ligue 1 season with a fractured foot but the former Borussia Dortmund boss said any discussions with the 26-year-old will remain away from the public.
"I'm young - well, not so young - but I know when I speak about Neymar there's a lot of potential to every word that I say," Tuchel said.
"So the best thing when I speak to him about something that we do this in closed rooms."
Meanwhile, Tuchel insisted Adrien Rabiot has "more levels to reach" with PSG, after the midfielder was reported to be the subject of interest from Barcelona.
Rabiot made 44 appearances for the French champions last season, scoring two goals, and was also a regular in their Champions League campaign, before they lost to eventual champions Real Madrid.
The 23-year-old missed out on selection in Didier Deschamp's France World Cup squad and asked to be removed from their standby list - a move which caused headlines in his home country.
"His talent is obvious, his potential is obvious," Tuchel said.
"I think there are still more levels to reach and I'm convinced there are still next levels to reach in this club, in his club where he comes from the youth academy.
"But we know about his contract situation and in this kind of situation it's on the players to make a commitment."
