November 25, (THEWILL) – Neymar is expected to be out until after the group stage of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, according to the team doctor, who confirmed the extent of his ankle injury.
Neymar was fouled nine times in the 2-0 victory over Serbia, making him the most fouled player in the opening round of the group games. When Serbian defender, Nikola Milenkovic, slipped into the Paris Saint-Germain forward in the 80th minute, the Brazilian talisman seemed to twist his ankle.
Still, the 30-year-old played for an additional 11 minutes on the field before he was replaced by Manchester United winger, Antony. It did not help as Rodrigo Lasmar, the Brazilian team doctor, confirmed that Neymar will not be able to play against Switzerland on Monday.
The doctor revealed that scans on Neymar’s right ankle revealed he has ligament damage. He said: “It’s important to remain calm, an evaluation will be conducted daily so we can have more information and take the most appropriate decisions”, before adding that “the goal is to have him recover” for the chance to continue at Qatar 2022.
Danilo is also anticipated to miss the remaining group-stage games. In the closing minutes of the game, the right-back also developed an ankle issue and had to leave the field with a limp.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
