Neymar’s broken foot will not require surgery, but the Brazilian superstar will still miss 10 weeks of action — including next month’s marquee Champions League meeting with Manchester United — Paris Saint-Germain said in a statement released Wednesday.
“On Tuesday evening Paris Saint-Germain gathered together a group of world-renowned medical experts at the Ooredoo Training Centre to carry out a thorough review of the injury to Neymar Jr.’s right foot,” the statement read.
“After detailed analysis by the specialists, a consensus was reached of a conservative treatment of Neymar Jr.’s injury to the fifth right metatarsal. Informed of this recommendation, Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian international striker agreed with this protocol. As a result, Neymar Jr. is expected to return to the field within 10 weeks.
“Paris Saint-Germain sends its strongest support and encouragement to Neymar Jr. to overcome this injury, with the courage and determination that the player has always shown.”
Neymar, now in his second season with PSG after moving from Barcelona in 2017 for a record $263 million transfer fee, was injured Jan. 23 in a French Cup round of 16 match against Strasbourg.
The news is a blow to PSG, but it could’ve been worse. There were fears were that Neymar could be sidelined for the rest of the season — a potentially fatal blow to the big-spending club’s hopes of hoisting the Champions League trophy this spring.
Still, it won’t be easy for the Parisians against high-flying United sans the 26-year-old, not with the Red Devils on a 8W-0L-1D run since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer replaced Jose Mourinho as manager last month.
If PSG survives and advances, Neymar could return for the next stage of Europe’s top club competition. The first leg of their two-game, total goals quarterfinal series would be played on April 9 or 10.
