It was an unceremonious exit for Neymar, with the Brazilian in tears as a left knee injury forced him to be stretchered off the pitch in his team’s 2-0 loss to Uruguay in a FIFA World Cup qualifier match on Wednesday.
This injury makes his availability uncertain for Al Hilal’s AFC Champions League clash against Mumbai City FC on October 23 and November 6, respectively.
How did the injury happen?
In the 44th minute of the Uruguay vs Brazil FIFA World Cup qualifier clash at the Centenario Stadium, the 31-year-old forward tripped and fell while sprinting.
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Surrounded by players from both teams, his pain was visible as he covered his face with both hands as he was carried off the pitch. He was eventually replaced by Richalison.
How serious is the injury and is there a date of return?
After the match, Brazil’s team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar said that it was too early to determine how serious the injury was.
“We did all the tests, and we will repeat them tomorrow. Those 24 hours are key to see how his knee will respond, how swollen it will be and what images will show,” Lasmar told the Associated Press. “Let’s wait for the exams with calmness, evaluate with calmness and tell you once we have a diagnosis.”