Rio de Janeiro, March 1 (IANS) Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar Jr. is expected to miss the rest of this season as it will take up to three months to recover from a surgery on his right foot, according to Brazilian national team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar on Thursday.

Speaking to Brazilian media outlets upon his arrival here from Paris, Lasmar said he will operate on Saturday to repair the fractured fifth metatarsal in the 26-year-old’s right foot in Brazil.

“The recovery time is between two and a half and three months,” Lasmar said.

Neymar was taken off the field on a stretcher after suffering the fracture, as well as a sprained ankle, during PSG’s 3-0 win Sunday against rival Marseille.

“Neymar is sad, but he understands that now he doesn’t have any other options. He will work to be well as soon as possible,” Lasmar added.

Lasmar stated that Neymar was suffering a “major fracture to the bone in his foot” adding that the best option was an operation.

Neymar may return less than one month before Brazil begins its 2018 World Cup campaign against Switzerland on June 17.

Neymar’s absence is a big blow for the Ligue 1 side ahead of the team’s second leg at Parc des Prince on March 6, when PSG is set to try to come back after losing 3-1 to Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on February 14.

The Brazilian striker is the face of PSG, which paid a world-record transfer fee of 222 million euros ($270.8 million) to acquire Neymar from Spanish-league powerhouse FC Barcelona last summer.

–IANS
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