Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil forward Neymar will be out of action for four weeks because of a thigh injury, according to Paris Saint-Germain’s medical team. Neymar picked up the injury during Brazil’s 1-1 draw against Nigeria in a friendly game in Singapore on Sunday.
“An MRI scan on Thursday afternoon confirmed a Grade 2 lesion to his left hamstring,” PSG informed. “Another assessment will be made in eight days, but initial estimates put his return to competition at four weeks, depending on how the injury progresses.”
Updates were also provided on four other members of the first-team squad, with the front pairing Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe, both progressing well as they continue to recover from their respective injuries.
Brazil-Nigeria Friendly
Brazil coach Tite defended his use of Neymar in the Nigeria friendly in which the former Barca player limped off after 12 minutes. When asked about Neymar’s injury after the match in Singapore on Sunday, Tite said his No. 10 was “not at all” an injury risk.
“It would be irresponsible and incompetent of me [to play him if he was a doubt],” Tite said. “I would have to receive the complaints of the coach and the president of PSG if that happened.” There were conflicting reports if Neymar had “felt discomfort.”
Neymar was at the centre of an acrimonious transfer saga with PSG and former club Barcelona this summer, which led to tensions with the player, the French champions’ front office, and their supporters. He has scored four times in five league matches as PSG entered the international break atop the Ligue 1 table.
PSG Schedule
The injury is the latest for Neymar, who struggled with several fitness issues during the 2018-19 campaign, missing a total of 27 games for PSG in both domestic and continental competition. He was forced to miss Copa America in his native Brazil, which won the tournament on home soil without him.
The striker is set to miss PSG’s two Champions League games against Club Brugge next week and on Nov. 6. He’d already missed PSG’s first two UCL games due to a suspension incurred last season.Will he be back for the shock in Santiago-Bernabeu against Real Madrid in late November?
