Barcelona ace Lionel Messi won't hear criticism of Neymar.

The Brazilian has been hammered for his showboating against Leganes on Saturday.

However, Messi insists: "I already knew him (before Neymar joined Barca), we're speaking a very special talent, for what I saw, for what he was doing in Brazil during the Copa Libertadores and I was very surprised by his personality and how he is.

"He arrived very young, and he is still very young, he is a very cheerful person, who lives happily. He's a boy who is not bad and he's really an amazing person."