Neymar raring to go says Tite
NEYMAR is fit to face Costa Rica today says Brazil boss Tite.
The Paris St-Germain superstar set alarm bells ringing when he limped out of training with an ankle problem on Tuesday.
But he was yesterday named in an unchanged side for Brazil’s second Group E game.
And Tite insisted he is not gambling with the fitness of his £200m star.
Asked if Neymar is playing, he said: “Yes, yes. We want to win. It’s a World Cup, but the coach is not going to risk a player’s health by being dishonest to him. That’s a price that is too high to pay.
“Those values of health and honesty, no way, there’s no compromise.”
Tite also denied claims he told Neymar to be more of a team player after their opening 1-1 draw with Switzerland. “Absolutely not,” he said. “The information you got is not true. It didn’t happen.
“I’m not going to take away from him this initiative in the last third of the pitch. He’s a genius.
“You have my word, this is not true. We all have to work as a team, but we have to respect the characteristics.
“In the last third of the pitch, you have to create possibilities for the finish.
“I’m not going to take that away from anybody.”
Thiago Silva will captain the side after Marcelo wore the armband against the Swiss.