Neymar misses Brazil training amid fitness concern

Published on: 19 June 2018

Neymar missed Brazil training on Monday following concerns about his left foot after Brazil's opening World Cup game, a 1-1 World Cup draw with Switzerland on Sunday.

The forward was fouled 10 times in the game, which was his first competitive match since February when he fractured the fifth metatarsal in his right foot, an injury that ended his club campaign early and required surgery.

Brazilian football federation said that Neymar, Paulinho and Thiago Silva did not participate in full training but instead stayed in the gym or worked with the physiotherapist.

"[It is] nothing to worry about. It's normal to do it after the match," team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar said.

On Instagram, Neymar posted a picture of his foot while receiving treatment alongside the message "work hard".

Dia de retomar os trabalhos! A #SeleçãoBrasileira já iniciou o planejamento para enfrentar a Costa Rica, na sexta-feira ⚽️ #GigantesPorNatureza

???? Lucas Figueiredo / CBF pic.twitter.com/n5BbMlmyi2

— CBF Futebol (@CBF_Futebol) June 18, 2018

Phillipe Coutinho, who opened the scoring against Switzerland, said Brazil expect to be targeted by opponents.

"Yes, Switzerland hit us a lot... but all matches will be like this, I guess," Coutinho told reporters. "We're talking about a World Cup so everybody will try to defend their game.

"Neymar is OK, of course. But, as you can see during the match, sometimes the opponents make turns to foul and in many passes when it's not necessary to foul, you have it and the match gets paralysed -- but that's how it is.

Brazil face Costa Rica on Friday in their second Group E game as they look to claim their first win of the tournament.

Source: espn.co.uk

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