Stories of Neymar rift were a joke, claims Brazil star Thiago Silva

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Stories of Neymar rift were a joke, claims Brazil star Thiago Silva image

Brazil star Thiago Silva has laughed off reports that his relationship with Neymar has soured, attributing the speculation to a joke that was taken the wrong way. 

Silva hit the net for his nation on Wednesday to help the Selecao past Serbia and into the World Cup last 16

Tite's men have won two of their three games to date in Russia, and will face Mexico in the next round as they look to improve on the semi-final run achieved on home soil in 2014. 

Tongues were sent wagging by Silva when the defender claimed Neymar had berated him for a misplaced pass during the game against Costa Rica. 

But Silva insists that his remarks were in jest and that there was never any bad blood between the two PSG stars. 

"There are people who talk a lot, but I have never had any problem with Neymar," he explained to Le Parisien

"It was a joke that I made and then people started saying bad things. But that has nothing to do with what was said. 

"We played a great game against Serbia and we deserve our qualification. Of course, we suffered a lot in the second half but we knew we had to avoid conceding goals. 

"We can see we are a very balanced team. When one player attacks, the other is also thinking about the defence to avoid the counter." 

One player not at the World Cup but who has been linked with a move to PSG is veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. 

La Notte del Maestro Andrea Pirlo Gianluigi Buffon

And Silva affirmed that he would be delighted to see the Juve and Italy legend join him at Parc des Princes. 

"I am still yet to talk with [Buffon]. But what more can I tell you about him?" Silva added. 

"He has done everything in Italy, he is a world star. And we will be really happy if it happens, because he can bring something else to our team."

Brazil continue their World Cup campaign against Mexico on July 2, with a place in the quarter final up for grabs for the two American sides.

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