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Doha (AFP) – Neymar wanted the Qatar World Cup 2022 to be an opportunity to join the club of the greats of Brazil and lead “Seleção” to its first title since 2002 and the sixth in its history, but the scene of 2014 may be repeated after he was injured again, and this time since the opening match that coach Tite’s men won over Serbia 2 -zero.
The Brazilian national team performed brilliantly in the second half of the first round match of Group G competitions and succeeded in settling the three points thanks to two goals from Richarlison, who was the star of the match, especially with his second goal, which may be the best goal in the current finals, although it is still early from now until It ends on December 18.
However, the Brazilian joy was not complete after the injury of Neymar, who was confirmed to be absent, at least from Monday’s match against Switzerland at Stadium 974 in Doha, after suffering a sprained ankle and having to leave the opening match 10 minutes before its end.
Team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar confirmed the absence of the Paris Saint-Germain star from the Switzerland match, but the player himself “is confident that I have a chance to return for the remainder of the tournament.”
Lasmar said in a video broadcast by the Brazilian Football Confederation that Neymar suffers from a “collateral ligament injury” to the ankle, while defender Danilo, in turn, sprained his ankle.
“One of the worst moments of my career”
He added, “The two players will not be available for our next match, but they are continuing their treatment with the aim of regaining their services in time for the rest of the tournament.”
But the Brazilian newspaper “Globo Esporte” indicated that Neymar may also miss the last match in the group stage against Cameroon on the second of December, provided that he returns in the final price round if Selecao qualifies.
In turn, Neymar wrote on his Instagram account, “Today, it is one of the worst moments in my career … and more than that, (that the injury occurs) in the World Cup again.”
He continued, “I have an injury, yes, it is frustrating and painful, but I am sure that I have a chance to return because I will do my best to help my country, my colleagues and myself.”
On Thursday, Neymar left the Lusail stadium, limping, after contact with Nikola Milenkovic. Images of a swollen right ankle prompted fears of the worst, despite Selecao’s convincing opening victory.
After the press conference after the match, Neymar left, limping slightly, without answering the journalists’ questions, and he was wearing huge headphones on his head, accompanied by a member of the technical staff.
“We are confident that Neymar will play again in the World Cup,” coach Tite said firmly.
Is the nightmare of 2014 repeated?
Neymar was previously injured in the right ankle in 2019, which forced him to withdraw from participating in the Copa America competition.
Neymar, who is competing in the World Cup for the third time at the age of thirty, entered this competition in good condition after a roaring start to the season with his club, Paris Saint-Germain.
And Neymar’s injury brings to mind what happened in the 2014 World Cup on Brazilian soil when he suffered a severe back injury during the quarter-final match against Colombia, which prevented him from being with his country in the semi-finals, in which he received a historic humiliating defeat at the hands of Germany 1- 7.
Neymar said Friday, “No one gave me anything or (something) was not easy. I always had to run after my dreams and goals.”
“For me to wait so long (for the World Cup) for my opponent to knock me down like that? Never! The pride and love I feel when wearing this shirt is inexplicable. If God gave me the chance to choose a country to be born in, it would be Brazil.”
It is true that Brazil has an offensive arsenal to use in the third confrontation with Switzerland in the finals, after the group stage for the 1950 (2-2) and 2018 (1-1) versions, but the absence of a player with Hala Neymar will certainly affect the morale of “Seleção” in the face of a difficult team. He caused Italy to miss the finals for the second time in a row by beating them in the European qualifiers (leading the group and forcing them to play the play-offs, where they fell to North Macedonia).
The Swiss national team started its career strongly by defeating Cameroon with the goal of Cameroonian native Briel Empolo, and will at least try to get out of its third draw with the South American giants in the World Finals.
Brazil is at a loss
Switzerland’s center back, Nico Alvedi, said on Saturday that his team would not be in awe of Brazil’s strength.
And about Neymar’s absence, the German player Borussia Monchengladbach added, “It will not change much for us. They have a lot of players in this position… I will not sleep better because Neymar will not play.”
The Brazilian victory over “Nati” may be enough for Tite’s men to settle the price tag for the final, provided that the second match does not end with the victory of either Serbia and Cameroon, who are looking for compensation and return to the struggle over one of the two cards when they face off at Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah in the first confrontation between the two sides. The level of tournaments and the second in total, after the first friendly was held in 2010 and ended with the victory of the European team 4-3.
© 2022 AFP