Neymar out for up to three months, says surgeon
Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil star Neymar's World Cup participation could be put in jeopardy by a long rehabilitation period from surgery.
Neymar could face up to three months on the sidelines after the Paris Saint-Germain forward undergoes surgery on his broken foot, Brazil's national team doctor has confirmed.
Neymar flew into Rio de Janeiro early Thursday ahead of an operation on his fractured foot that will rule him out for up to three months, casting a long shadow over Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil's World Cup preparations.
The world's most expensive player, 26, arrived on an Air France flight from Paris and left in a wheelchair, a photo was taken by one of his fellow passengers showed. Dressed in a black hoodie, a black baseball cap and wearing sunglasses, the PSG star smiled and took selfies with passengers, before leaving on a private jet to an undisclosed destination.
Surgery will take place Saturday, national team surgeon Rodrigo Lasmar said. But despite the hurry to put Neymar under the knife at a hospital in Belo Horizonte, he won't be back on the field soon. "The (recovery) period will be around two and a half to three months," Lasmar, said after arriving with the player on the same Air France plane.
The injury has not only ruled Neymar out of PSG's do-or-die Champions League clash with Real Madrid but now threatens the much fancied Brazilian national side's build-up to the World Cup, which starts June 14. On Tuesday, the Brazilian's father had claimed the player would be out for "at least six weeks