PSG-REAL MADRID
Neymar: PSG star's injury worse than previously thought - report
Paris Saint-Germain's Neymar is in Brazil for surgery on the metatarsal injury he suffered on Sunday, but could be out for longer than expected.
Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil star Neymar's foot injury is reportedly more serious than first thought.
Having picked up what PSG described as a "cracked" fifth metatarsal bone at the weekend, it was confirmed on Wednesday that the forward will go under the knife in his native country, with the 26-year-old now in Rio de Janeiro after flying from Paris with Brazil's national team doctor, Rodrigo Lasmar.
Neymar has fractured metatarsal, says Brazil doctor
But according to the media outlet Globoesporte, Lasmar - who is to carry out the operation - now says Neymar has suffered an outright break, which would leave the player potentially facing up to three months on the sidelines, rather than the initially expected six to eight weeks.
"It's two and a half months, three months of recovery," Lasmar is quoted as explaining. "After surgery we will have more details about this time. He is sad, upset, but understands that he has no alternative but to recover as soon as possible."
The operation, scheduled for this Saturday in Belo Horizonte, will ensure that the former Barcelona and Santos man is fully over the injury at this summer's World Cup, but means that he misses PSG's crunch Champions League last-16 return against Real Madrid on Tuesday, which the Parisians head into with a 3-1 first-leg deficit.
Three-month absence would all but end club season
And if his absence extends to 12 weeks, Neymar would be ruled out of the remainder of the Ligue 1 season, while his participation in this term's Champions League would be over unless PSG reach the final in Kiev.
He will also have to sit out Brazil's March friendlies against Russia and Germany.
