Neymar Likely To Miss Entire Group Stage Due To Injury

New York: Brazil could see star striker Neymar miss the entire FIFA World Cup group stage as the team’s medical staff keep an eye on his long-term fitness. The experienced Brazilian player is struggling to fully recover from the muscle injury he suffered.

According to the ESPN report cited by Goal.com, the Brazilian management does not want any other setbacks that could end Neymar’s tournament early. He was not on the field in the opening match against Morocco, which ended in a 1-1 draw. The focus now is on making sure the veteran is fit for a return to the knockout stage.

Brazil’s medical team has concluded that the only way forward with Neymar is to be careful, and there are indications that he will not be put at risk in Saturday’s match against Haiti.

Neymar is currently recovering from a grade two calf injury sustained while playing for Santos on May 17. Although his workload in the gym has increased recently, he is far from fully recovered for matches and is unable to reintegrate with his teammates on the grass during training.

The 32-year-old player will be able to take to the field for individual training, but will be allowed to practice as a full team if the medical team is sure he is pain-free. Neymar has been out of competitive football for over a month and his lack of rhythm is also a major concern in his decision-making process.

Brazil are preparing an internal plan to get Neymar fully prepared for the knockout stages and he could miss all group stage matches until the match against Scotland in Miami on June 24. In maintaining such a plan for its star players, on-field results will also play a significant role and a dip in performance could lead to their replacement.

Head coach Carlo Ancelotti wants Neymar to be ready but does not want to compromise on the player’s health. As quoted by Goal.com, he recently said: “Neymar is working hard to recover as quickly as possible. When we called up Neymar, we did so not only because of his technical quality, which is undeniable. But also because of his experience, he can set an example for the young players in the team.”

The medical team have not ruled out the possibility of carrying out new imaging tests to check whether intensive treatment has improved his injury, and the results of the test could play a key role in whether Neymar is promoted to the starting eleven or remains on the bench to continue rehabilitation.