Neymar won't face Madrid and should have op, says father

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Paris, February 28: Neymar's father insists his son has no chance of playing in Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League showdown against Real Madrid and believes surgery on a broken foot is the "quickest way to accelerate the player's recovery".

The world's most expensive player sustained a hairline fracture to the fifth metatarsal of his right foot during PSG's 3-0 win over Marseille on Sunday (February 25).

PSG head coach Unai Emery told reporters on Tuesday (February 27) that there was "a small chance" Neymar could face Real Madrid in the Champions League on March 6, when the Ligue 1 leaders will aim to overturn a 3-1 first-leg deficit at the Parc des Princes.

"We have to wait for the club's decision. PSG is waiting for the right moment," he said. "The team doctor [Rodrigo Lasmar from Brazil's national setup] will arrive and they will make that decision together.

"Tomorrow [Wednesday] they will meet and decide. We did not want to be in this situation, but we should try to recover Neymar as best we can.

"PSG already know they will not have Neymar for six to eight weeks, regardless of whether there is surgery or not.

"It is vital to make it quickly because we cannot wait. Surgery is the quickest way to accelerate the player's recovery."

The Brazil Football Confederation (CBF) announced head coach Tite would delay naming his squad for the games against Russia and Germany next month until March 12 after a raft of unwelcome weekend concerns.

Along with Neymar's injury, PSG centre-back Marquinhos (thigh) and Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho (hamstring) also suffered fitness setbacks, while Real Madrid left-back Marcelo is working to return from a muscular problem and Casemiro missed the European champions' 1-0 defeat at Espanyol due to a stomach complaint.

Source: OPTA