For the first time since 2016, Neymar will miss the birthday of his sister, Rafaella. Born March 11, she will see her big brother on television next Wednesday. Boutade put aside, the Brazilian will especially be able to play his first eighth final final of the Champions League with PSG. Injured at the foot the last two seasons, Neymar is expected against Dortmund, even if his state of form questions.
Wednesday night during the victory in Lyon in the Coupe de France (5-1), despite a penalty goal and a more attractive end to the match, the former Barça striker suffered from a crying lack of rhythm, in addition to '' a slight overweight developed since his rib injury in early February. "He is doing well, he trains very hard, he gets on well with everyone. Two games should be enough to regain rhythm. Hopefully he can make a difference, ”we slip in his entourage.
An optimistic version shared by Thomas Tuchel. "I found him very strong, got excited the German coach after the Lyon shock. He played 90 minutes and there is one more game in Strasbourg (Saturday). He needs that, he has to play a lot of games to be good. If it were therefore necessary to bet on the presence of Neymar in Alsace, the balance would tip more towards the yes. The context and history of number 10 - it was against Strasbourg that he injured himself in January 2019 for the second time on the right foot - does not come into play.
"He moved on"
PSG's mission is clear: to get Neymar back on track for Dortmund. During the outward journey, the management of his playing time had pushed him to moan publicly. No question this time of resting too much. "He still regrets not having played (the previous matches), but he moved on, assures his clan. The one who decided was Leonardo, on the doctor's orders. Tuchel had nothing to do with it, he couldn't oppose it. »Chapter closed, therefore, at least between the player and his coach.
Three years after his recruitment for 222 million euros, Neymar will however approach Dortmund with some pressure, like that which rests on the shoulders of Kylian Mbappé and, more generally, on the strategy deployed by PSG. The club cannot get out of it sportily without a great Neymar. In the event of another failure, the fourth in row at the stage of the round of 16 in Europe, the critics would fall on Paris and its star.
To start with those of the Catalan press, which closely observes the latest eddies. This week, the rumors sending Neymar back to Barça have picked up again. The local leaders would consider an exchange with Antoine Griezmann. A hypothesis that says more about the meager financial capacities of the Catalan club before the next transfer window than about the feasibility of this improbable operation.