Hard knocks no issue for Neymar, says Adriano

Barcelona defender Adriano has backed compatriot Neymar to deal with any harsh treatment he may receive from defenders in La Liga.

The 21-year-old Brazilian striker is in the early stages of his Barca career after finally completing a long-anticipated switch from Santos in the summer.

As a defender himself, Adriano knows plenty about how physical the game can get, but he has backed Neymar to cope.
"He's used to being played hard," Adriano told fcbarcelona.com. "In Brazil he received plenty of kicks and continued to play as you know."

Barca take on Adriano's former club Sevilla this weekend.

"[Coach Unai] Emery's teams have always stood up, whether they're away or at home," Adriano said.

"It'll be a close game, no different from what we've played many times."