Neymar issues update to fans as he comes off injured just days after making full recovery
Brazilian superstar Neymar has issued an update to fans after he came off injured in his return for Al-Hilal. The former Barcelona star was ruled out for over a year with an anterior cruciate ligament injury and made his return to competitive football after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
The forward came on in the 58th minute in his side's AFC Champions League clash against Iranian side Esteghlal on Monday, November 4, to replace Abdullah Al Hamdan. However, he would go down and get substituted himself in the 87th minute of the same match.
The Brazilian took to Instagram after the match to give the fans an update on his situation, saying (via The Daily Mail):
"I felt like a cramp but very strong! I will do exams and hope it’s nothing more, It’s normal for this to happen after one year. The doctors warned me. This is why I need to be careful and have more minutes to play. Great team game, very happy to be back playing at home... and thank you for the affection of the fans! Now it's time to recover. We're still firm and strong."
Neymar has played only 428 minutes across seven games, scoring once and providing three assists for Al-Hilal since he joined the side for a reported €90 million from Paris Saint-Germain last year. His contract with the Saudi pro-League club runs till the summer of 2025.
Brazil head coach explains the decision to omit Neymar from team selection
Brazil manager Dorival Junior has explained his decision to omit Neymar from the latest national team squad. The 32-year-old forward is the record goalscorer for his nation, with 79 strikes to his name for the Samba Boys, outscoring legends like the late Pele and Ronaldo Nazario.
The former Barcelona and PSG star has been away from the game for over a year after he suffered an ACL injury in his last appearance for his country against Uruguay in the World Cup qualifiers.
Dorival Junior has excluded the superstar from the team to face Venezuela and Uruguay in the upcoming international break in a bid to ease him back into full fitness. He explained (via The Daily Mail):
"We decided not to bring him so as not to rush things. He's practically fully recovered, but he only had a few minutes, which weighed heavily on the decision, he was willing to be here but he also understood the situation, the condition he is in, the lack of minutes on the field. We have to respect the club's process. A player of his level always has the pleasure of being here. This is very important to us, even though he is not in full condition."
Neymar has played only 42 minutes since his return from injury and will be keen to get more game time under his belt after an extended period away from the pitch.