After a series of PSG friendlies in Japan, Neymar raises questions about his return to competition. Even though he sat on the bench in the teams’s last three meetings, the Brazilian superstar has yet to step onto the pitch – he hasn’t played since February 19, when he suffered an ankle injury that eventually required surgery.
In the last match against Inter Milan, in which Paris Saint-Germain suffered a 2-1 defeat, Neymar remained on the sidelines for the third time in a row. At the end of the match, he told French outlet L’Équipe,“I feel good. But I don’t know when I’ll be back to play.”
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Neymar prepares his return behind the scenes
PSG’s current pre-season is marked by the absence of Neymar on the pitch. Even though he has been training with his teammates since July and looked ready to participate in the pre-season tour in Japan, he didn’t get playing time. However, sources close to the player, quoted by L’Équipe, claim that the 31-year-old has shown positive signs in recent weeks. His gradual reintegration into the team suggests that Ney’s long-awaited return to the field will happen sooner rather than later.
Luis Enrique: “I don’t know how many minutes it will be, but Kang-in Lee will definitely play. Neymar is in the final stages of trying to get back into the team. He can play tomorrow, but whether or not Neymar will participate will not be known until tomorrow.” @naver_sports 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/OaDSyMRWjj
— PSG Report (@PSG_Report) August 2, 2023
PSG will play one more friendly against Jeonbuk in South Korea before their Ligue 1 debut against Lorient. Neymar’s presence in the game is still uncertain.
An important season for Ney
Neymar is heading into one of the most important seasons for him in recent years. Things haven’t been easy for the winger lately, having been whistled by PSG fans, with a group of supporters even protesting in front of his house a few months back. The Brazilian has to silence a lot of doubters, and the only way he can fix his relationship with the French team is by rediscovering his best version this campaign.
The former Barcelona star was linked with a possible departure from the Parc des Princes this summer, but Luis Enrique’s hiring as manager may have changed the outlook. Now, Neymar has the opportunity to get back to the pitch once he’s completely healthy and then start to prove his haters wrong.
