NEYM DROPPING
Hobbling Brazil superstar sparks fears he’ll be ruled out of favourites’ vital showdown
NEYMAR was at the centre of a major injury scare as Brazil’s troubles piled up.
The world’s most expensive player hobbled out of training after an ankle problem flared, just three days before their crunch clash with Costa Rica.
The country’s football federation blamed “The large number of fouls he suffered against Switzerland”.
But he had been receiving treatment on the foot he broke while playing for Paris Saint-Germain in February almost continually up to the tournament – and he was on the physio’s couch again when he posted a picture of it on social media on Monday. Neymar was also in some discomfort as he trudged off the training pitch in Sochi, accompanied by two team officials. He is undergoing physiotherapy and, despite the fact that the knock was played down, looks a doubt ahead of Friday’s fixture – vital after Brazil only drew with the Swiss. Four years ago, Neymar was thumped in the back by Colombia defender Juan Zuniga in the quarter-final.
He needed surgery to correct that problem.
But there was just as much damage done to the confidence of a Brazilian team who a few days later were hammered 7-1 by Germany.
Philippe Coutinho (left) underlined his colleague’s importance, saying: “Neymar is one of the world’s best.
“He is a brave man who always faces our opponents, he’s always trying to create.
“Everyone goes after him. When he’s playing people come strong at him, he gets a lot of fouls.”