Brazilian star Neymar Jr has picked up another injury following his recent return from a knee injury that sidelined him for more than a year. The former Barcelona man was brought on for Abdullah Al Hamdan in the 57th minute of Al Hilal’s three-nil victory over Esteghlal in the AFC Champions League. He was forced to leave the game after playing for less than 30 minutes, however.
The Brazil captain appeared to have injured his left thigh as the game entered stoppage time, and got a quick medical attention on the sideline before returning to action. He wasn’t able to continue, however, leaving the pitch visibly upset.
The midfielder’s latest injury is a major setback blow for him and his club after recently returning to action following a surgery for a ruptured ACL. The Saudi club are hoping to challenge for the AFC Champions League, needing his crucial presence to boost their chances of success.
Since Neymar has not been registered to play in the domestic league and will not be eligible until January, his presence in the Champions League has become important for the club which spent a fortune to bring him from PSG. Al Hilal play next in the Champions League on November 16 when they travel to Qatar to face Al-Sadd. They currently lead their group with 12 points in four games, as they prepare to face Al Ettifaq in the Saudi League on Friday.
