Hit in the right ankle, the Brazilian striker from Paris Saint-Germain will be sidelined for “three or four months”. He will not play again in 2022-23.
Never two without three. As in 2018 and 2019, Neymar will miss the end of the current season after spraining his ankle. This time, no fracture, but enough damage to require a pass on the pool table. “Neymar Jr has had several bouts of right ankle instability in recent years. Following his last sprain on February 20, the PSG medical staff recommended a ligament repair operation, in order to avoid a major risk of recurrence. All the experts consulted confirmed this need“, Can we read in a press release from the club of the capital, specifying that the intervention will take place “in the next few days” in Qatar and that the 31-year-old Brazilian international will not resume collective training until “three to four months“. Clearly, his season is over.
Christophe Galtier had already announced the package of “Ney” for the return match of the Champions League in Munich on Wednesday (9 p.m.), against Bayern, in the round of 16. The club was to give details as to the timetable for the recovery of its number 10 on Monday. It’s done. This is obviously not the news that admirers of the Auriverde player were expecting… Others will be able to say that it was without him that Paris Saint-Germain seemed to be the most balanced. His absence indeed allows Galtier to strengthen his environment behind the Mbappé / Messi tandem. “It’s a detrimental absence“, had corrected the 56-year-old technician. Absence which will have to be accommodated, like that of Presnel Kimpembe.
SEE ALSO – Neymar’s last goal with PSG this season, against Lille on February 19 (4-3)
Half of the matches in the infirmary
Recruited for €222m in 2017, Neymar Jr made an exceptional start to the season, he was probably the most influential Parisian on the pitch. “Psychologically destroyedafter a premature exit from the track at the World Cup, he has never regained this excellent form since the restart. Neymar therefore ends his season with a record of 18 goals and 17 assists in 29 matches. His overall record in six seasons at PSG? 118 goals (4th in club history) and 77 assists in 173 matches. All this while having missed more or less half of the matches due to injury.
Note that it was only with him that Paris reached the semi-finals (2021) and the final (2020) of the Champions League… The former Santos and Barcelona player will still have the opportunity to catch up: some sources lend PSG the desire to part with it next summer, but the whimsical Brazilian international (124 caps, 77 goals) is under contract until 2027. According to the latest news, he intends to honor his commitment until the end….
