Edinson Cavani Says Neymar Penalty Dispute Speculation Was 'Greatly Exaggerated'

Paris Saint-Germain forward Edinson Cavani has insisted talk of a row between himself and team-mate Neymar after their penalty disagreement against Lyon earlier in the campaign was "greatly exaggerated." 

The pair appeared at odds over who should take the kick, with Cavani eventually missing from 12 yards in the 2-0 win. The incident was followed by a flurry of reports suggesting the duo were not getting along following Neymar's world-record transfer in the summer.

Speaking about the penalty to Ovacion (h/t EFE, via Marca), Cavani suggested a mountain was made out of a molehill.

"They create or invent stories that don't exist, what counts is when the team scores a goal," said the Uruguay international. "… With Neymar, there was nothing special about what we discussed. What happened on the pitch or in the dressing room was greatly exaggerated, and they must remain in that place because that's what football demands."

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As relayed by Tom Williams of AFP, it was reported by L'Equipe in the aftermath of the game that the duo were involved in an argument:

The same newspaper said the pair had to be kept apart from one another by captain Thiago Silva, per Get French Football.

Speculation about this argument has been the one major blemish on what has been an otherwise outstanding season for PSG.

The capital club are nine points clear at the top of Ligue 1 and are into the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League, where they will take on Real Madrid. The form of both Neymar and Cavani has been key to their success.

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The Brazilian and fellow summer signing Kylian Mbappe have formed one of the most devastating attacks in world football alongside Cavani. They have netted a total of 38 Ligue 1 goals between them already.

Cavani has accumulated 19 of those, and there isn't a forward who can match that haul in any of the elite leagues, as noted by TifoFootball:

The Uruguayan has blossomed at the point of the attack since the departure of Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2016. 

He's relished being the main striker and has benefitted from the creative players behind him. Nevertheless, there's little doubt Neymar is the main man at PSG following his lucrative move ahead of the current campaign.

As we can see here courtesy of Marca, the duo have formed a strong on-field chemistry despite rumours about their deteriorating relationship:

Although they may not be the best of friends, they will surely be enjoying working alongside one another on the field. As long as they are each scoring goals in a winning team, stories about their supposed issues will remain at a minimum.

Both players will be determined to prove they are the best in their respective positions in world football and can do so by helping PSG to a maiden Champions League title this year.