AFC Bournemouth
Neto believes his AFC Bournemouth teammates can use the experience of preserving their Premier League status as motivation during the new season.
Goalkeeper Neto played a starring role as the Cherries silenced their critics by avoiding the drop in 2022/23, the team finishing five points clear of the relegation zone in 15th.
Signed from Barcelona 12 months ago, the Brazilian shot-stopper quickly established himself as a huge crowd favourite and was appointed captain in February.
Neto, who turned 34 earlier this month, kept six clean sheets in 27 games in his first season in England’s top flight and was rewarded with a new contract in March.
Looking back on 2022/23, he said: “It was very difficult. In the beginning, we had a young team and players who had never played in the Premier League so everything was new for them.
“We suffered at times but improved a lot and showed we could perform at that level. We believed in ourselves. It was massive and a big experience for me.
“I had never played in a team which was battling relegation and it’s much more difficult than when you are trying to win a championship.
“The pressure to fight relegation is bigger. When you are playing to win a championship, every player has 100 per cent confidence. They know what they have to do and the motivation is high because, if you win, you achieve your objective.
“When you are battling relegation, it’s difficult. There were a lot of clubs in the same situation last season, good clubs with good players, and every team wants to survive.
“The pressure was massive and I think it will help us this season. The young players and the players who had never played in the Premier League understand what is expected so I’m very positive for the season.”
Neto crossed paths with Andoni Iraola when the Cherries head coach’s former club Rayo Vallecano did the double over Barcelona in La Liga in the goalkeeper’s final season in Spain.
“We played them twice and they won both games,” said Neto, who was on the bench for the two matches. “You could see the intensity his team played with and every player was at their max level.
“It’s very exciting and very positive to have him here. We need time and we are having this time to understand the new ideas and the wishes of the coach.
“Everybody has to give 100 per cent. Whether we are playing Manchester City, Brentford or Crystal Palace, we have our ideas. We believe in ourselves and are going to do it like this, like we do every day in training.”
Capped once by his country in 2018, Neto has also plied his trade at the highest level in Brazil and Italy, playing for Paranaense, Fiorentina and Juventus before having spells in Spain with Valencia and Barcelona.
Asked about signing his new contract, Neto said: “The new owner is very ambitious. He’s excited and he wants to do the right things.
“When I was speaking about renewing my contract, I spoke with many people who work here and was really impressed.
“They do things really well and I have a lot of respect for the professionalism. When you do things really well, you usually achieve your goals.
“I feel I belong here and I can give 100 per cent. I’m very proud of my teammates and what we achieved last season.
“Many people didn’t think we would. But the past is the past, well done, we achieved and now we must look forward to the new season.”
Neto will vie with Darren Randolph and Andrei Radu for more game time when the Cherries host Ligue 1 outfit Lorient in their final pre-season friendly at Vitality Stadium on Saturday (5pm kick-off).
