Brazilian and Al Hilal forward Neymar Jr. risks another injury just weeks after returning from a long spell that kept him out for a year.
He was subbed off just 30 minutes after coming off the bench in the second half of Al Hilal’s AFC Champions League win against Esteghlal.
In what was suspected to be a muscle injury, the 32-year-old limped off the pitch and was eventually replaced shortly after making his second appearance for the Saudi Arabian side since being sidelined for a year with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Neymar admitted his doctor had warned him that recovering fully after a long-term injury could involve a challenging process:
“Hopefully nothing too serious… It’s normal that after one year [out] this happens; the doctors had already warned me, so I have to be careful and play more minutes.”
As it stands, Neymar was left out of Al Hilal’s squad for the Saudi Pro League due to his previous injury, rendering him unfit for the club’s two consecutive league fixtures. However, if deemed fit, he could be reintegrated into the squad for their match against Al-Sadd in the AFC Champions League on November 26.
