Neymar’s return ‘better than expected’

rio de janeiro — Brazil’s star forward Neymar is returning to training “better than expected,” after more than two months out with a broken foot bone, the Brazilian team physical trainer said on Wednesday.

The Paris Saint-Germain striker, who was injured in February and underwent surgery in Brazil, is in training with the national team in Teresopolis, near Rio de Janeiro, ahead of the World Cup in Russia.

“He has evolved well. He trains every day. I could even say that his development is better than expected,” the trainer, Fabio Mahseredjian, told journalists.

Team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar, who led the operation on Neymar in March, said “he’s regaining his usual movements bit by bit. The next step is full group training and then play games. Everything is being done for him to feel at ease.”

Neymar will have a chance to get back to match fitness with a friendly against Croatia on June 3 and Austria on June 10. The team open their World Cup campaign against Switzerland on June 17. Meanwhile, winger Douglas Costa suffered a “minor muscular injury,” Lasmar said. Lasmar said Costa picked up the injury during Juventus’ 2-1 win against Verona last weekend. He said the Brazilian reserve is not expected to start training on the pitch with his teammates until the end of the week.

Lasmar added that it’s still unclear whether Costa will play in Brazil’s pre-World Cup friendlies against Croatia on June 3 and against Austria one week later. But he said the forward will remain a part of the World Cup squad. “He is being followed day by day so he can be cleared (to go to training),” Lasmar said. “Today we are not working with the hypothesis of taking players out (of the squad).”

Eleven players took part of Brazil’s fitness training, including Neymar. Costa and rightback Fagner, who is also returning from injury, spent the afternoon with physiotherapists.