20th August, 2023
Brazilian winger Neymar may have to wait until September to make his debut for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal due to an injury.
Coach Jorge Jesus stated this after a welcoming ceremony in front of 60,000 spectators at the King Fahd International Stadium on Saturday.
Neymar signed Al-Hilal from Paris St-Germain on a two-year contract worth 160 million euros (174 million dollars), according to the French publication L’Equipe.
“Neymar is an innovative and creative player; he will help us improve, but he has a slight injury now, and I don’t know when he will return. Maybe he will be ready in mid-September,” Jesus said.
Drones spelled out ‘Neymar is Blue’ above Al-Hilal’s home pitch before the former Barcelona player watched his new team draw 1-1 with Al-Fayha.
Al-Hilal coach Jesus was likewise taken aback by Neymar’s participation in Brazil’s team for two World Cup qualifiers next month.
“I don’t know how the Brazilian national team could have called him; he is not ready,” Jesus said.
Neymar has not appeared for Brazil since the World Cup last year as he recovers from an ankle injury suffered in February.
But he has been called up for World Cup qualifiers against Bolivia on September 8 and Peru four days later.
Reuters/NAN