Neymar is confident Paris Saint-Germain will win the Champions League this year due to their ‘awesome team’ and ‘genius coach’ Thomas Tuchel.

The Brazil star missed the first leg of their last-16 tie with Manchester United on Tuesday, as he is recovering from a metatarsal injury sustained last month.

PSG made light work of Neymar’s absence and that of striker Edinson Cavani as they claimed a 2-0 win at Old Trafford to put them in a commanding position to reach the quarter-finals.

The Ligue 1 leaders have yet to win Europe’s biggest prize, even with the huge financial backing of owners Qatar Sports Investments, but Neymar believes their wait will end this year.

The 27-year-old also expects to be fully fit to play a part in their run to glory, with the final taking place on 1 June at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid.

‘PSG will be Champions League champion,’ he said in an interview with Red Bull. ‘PSG is not just about me – it has an awesome team with great athletes and a genius coach.

‘Besides, the PSG fans are like a 12th player when we are playing in Paris. I have no doubts that we will be champions and that I will be playing.’

Neymar admits it is difficult to be sidelined with a foot injury for the second year in succession, but he thinks his problems have made him grow as a player.

‘The treatment has just begun,’ he said. ‘It will be a long journey and I will have little victories day by day. Thank God I have great professionals by my side and the support of PSG, as well as the support from fans all over the world.

‘I have played football since I was a little child so yes, it’s very hard to be away from football, from the club’s routine and from the fans’ warmth. In 2018 I faced something similar and I know how bad it is, but that experience made me stronger and more prepared to face what’s coming now.’