Neymar suffered discomfort during training
Brazil have suffered a major injury scare after talisman Neymar limped out of training on Tuesday, raising fears of a repeat of his 2014 World Cup nightmare, The Telegraph reports.
The Paris-Saint Germain forward looked in fine fettle while taking part in a warm-up drill but quickly pulled up and was unable to continue.
Neymar recovered from a broken foot to make Brazil’s 23-man World Cup squad and started their opening group-stage match, a 1-1 draw against Switzerland.
The Selecao’s star man suffered a back injury in the 2014 World Cup quarter-finals that ruled him out of Brazil’s 7-1 drubbing at the hands of Germany in the last-four.
He then limped off
Neymar grimaced in pain during a ‘rondo’ exercise, where players try to keep the ball away from two players in the middle of a square. There was no obvious contact or collision but the problem appeared to be with his right foot or ankle.
"He was feeling pain thanks to the large number of fouls he suffered in the Switzerland game," a spokesman told reporters. "He complained of pain and so he went to physio and he will train normally tomorrow."
Neymar was fouled 10 times in Brazil’s first match against Switzerland, receiving a heavy kick on the ankle from Swiss midfielder Valon Behrami.
The 26-year-old was subdued in the match and unrecognisable from the man who became the world’s most expensive footballer when he left Barcelona last August to join the French champions.