One month exactly after his ankle injury, Neymar is back in the Paris group.
The Brazilian star has accelerated his recovery in the last two days, even making an appearance in the team of the probable holders tested by Mauricio Pochettino this Tuesday morning in training.
He could therefore start the meeting this Wednesday evening against OM for a Champions Trophy delayed due to the health crisis.
Anything but a coincidence with regard to the identity of the adversary.
Keylor Navas may publicly assure that the spirit of revenge does not exist, Neymar has never digested the clasico lost in September (1-0), nor the hot context caused by the altercation with Alvaro Gonzalez.
Four months have passed and the truth surrounding this incident will probably never be established.
Sports justice has admitted its inability to judge the accusations of each other.
Today, Neymar has not changed his version of the facts.
In his private discussions, the Brazilian always accuses the Spaniard of racist insults.
On December 10, after the Champions League match against Basaksehir (5-0) interrupted for an incident of the same ilk, the former Barça player broached the subject: "We did well (
Editor's note: to stop the match against Istanbul
), it had to be done.
That's what went through my head and that's what I should have done the first time around.
"
"These last weeks were hard for him"
Neymar has not forgotten anything.
But he now seems ready to respond on the ground.
For the moment, his fourth season at PSG is a pale copy of the previous ones.
Out of 25 matches played by the club, Kylian Mbappé's sidekick missed 13, being suspended, sick, injured or left to rest.
The finding is all the more frustrating that out of the 12 games played (10 starts), he has 9 goals and 5 assists.
“The last few weeks were hard for him, we slip among his relatives.
He feels that this ankle injury has slowed him down.
He also wants to show that his absence in the year-end trophies was a joke.
"
On his social networks, Neymar had, in fact, concluded 2020 by joking with many messages about the The Best trophies issued by Fifa.
The finalist of the last Champions League is back in 2021 with a conquering state of mind.
If he liked Thomas Tuchel, he has no a priori on Mauricio Pochettino with whom the relationship starts well.
Bodes well for the rest of the season and the questions surrounding its future.
Extend at PSG remains his priority even if there is no rush.