Neymar Out Of Brazil Friendlies, Set To Miss FIFA World Cup Opener

Neymar will not feature in Brazil’s upcoming friendly matches and will miss the World Cup opener after scans revealed a second-degree calf injury, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said on Thursday.

CBF doctor Rodrigo Lasmar delivered the blow ahead of the players’ press conference, confirming that the 34-year-old striker will remain sidelined for another two to three weeks.

Lasmar said, “Neymar came to duty at Granja Comary yesterday, passed all the medical tests and the MRI scan revealed that he had not only swelling but also a second-degree injury in his calf. His condition is expected to improve in two to three weeks.” he said.

He did not give any information about whether Neymar would be removed from the squad.

He joined the team on Tuesday but missed Wednesday’s first practice and was sent to a private clinic in Teresopolis for imaging tests after complaining of swelling in his right calf.

According to Lasmar, the MRI showed a Grade 2 calf strain (a moderate injury that involves partial tearing of muscle fibers and requires rest and rehabilitation) and not swelling as previously reported.

The diagnosis differs from the one Santos offered ahead of the roster announcement. Club doctor Rodrigo Zogaib said that the problem was just swelling and that Neymar would be fit to train on Tuesday.

Instead, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer will miss Sunday’s friendly against Panama at the Maracana and then the match against Egypt in Cleveland. He will also miss Brazil’s World Cup opener against African champions Morocco in New Jersey on June 13.

Brazil is in Group C along with Haiti and Scotland.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti was without defenders Gabriel Magalhaes, Marquinhos and forward Gabriel Martinelli for Sunday’s match due to their involvement in last weekend’s Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain.

Neymar’s recall last week caused widespread excitement as the Italian was not part of Ancelotti’s plans during his year in charge. The striker, who scored 79 goals in 128 international matches, suffered from injury problems for years and had a very difficult return to Santos.

In an interview with Reuters in early May, Ancelotti said that Neymar would not be given special treatment and that his place in the squad would be based on fitness and form, not emotion.

For now, Brazil must plan without him.