Ahead of tomorrow night’s UCL knockout round clash at Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain announced that superstar winger Neymar is done for the season.
The world’s all-time most expensive player suffered ligament damage, in his right ankle, when he suffered a sprain a little over two weeks ago. A decision has been made to undergo surgical repair, in Doha, Qatar, and this will thus end his 2022-23 season.
Paris Saint-Germain at Bayern Munich FYIs
Competition: UCL Round of 16, Leg 2/2
Aggregate: Bayern Leads 1-0
Kick: Wed March 8, 8pm, Allianz Arena, Munich, Bavaria, Germany
Team News: Bayern Munich Paris Saint-Germain
Starting XI Predictions: Bayern Munich Paris Saint-Germain
Google Result Probability: Bayern Munich 53%, Extra Time 22%, Paris Saint-Germain 25%
A statement from PSG reads:
“Neymar Jr. has had several episodes of instability in his right ankle in recent years. Following his last sprain contracted on Feb. 20, the medical staff … recommended a ligament repair operation to avoid a major risk of recurrence. All the experts consulted have confirmed this necessity.
“A delay of three to four months is expected before his return to training.”
In 18 starts and two substitute appearances, this Ligue 1 season, Neymar achieved 24 goal contributions (13 scoring strikes, 11 assists)
From here until the end of the term, PSG Coach Christoph Galtier will have just Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe in his all-world, ultra-expensive front line.
“He is one of the top scorers and assist providers in Ligue 1, so he is a big loss,” Galtier said to the media.
“Without Neymar, we may have two midfielders and three attackers or three midfielders and two attackers. There are players who can get in behind from all sorts of different positions.”
Les Parisiens are currently top of the table in the French top flight, with an eight point lead over Marseille.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
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