“The sadness is great, the pain is immense and the crying is continuous”.
The tears of Neymar, and those of Paris Saint-Germain, once again deprived of his Brazilian prodigy when approaching the choppy matches in the Champions League.
As in the round of 16 second leg against Real Madrid, in 2018. As in the two matches against Manchester United the following year, at the same stage of the competition.
And we know the outcome in both cases ... Never two without three in 2020?
Not far away.
Affected on the odds on February 1 against Montpellier, "Ney" returned just in time for the first leg in Dortmund (2-1 defeat), before being decisive in the return match (2-0 victory) and guiding the team Parisian until the final in Lisbon.
"Once again, I'm going to stop for a moment to do what I love most in life, that is to say play football", plague the ex-Barcelonan, whose absence could weigh heavily next Tuesday, at Camp Nou.
Not to mention the championship, the capital club only pointing third in the standings, behind Lille and Lyon and just ahead of Monaco.
Every other match away from the pitch
Neymar is 83 goals and 47 assists in 103 matches with PSG.
Stratospheric figures.
It is also barely more than one in two matches in uniform (103 out of 191, or 53.9%) since its first game in Paris, on August 13, 2017 in Guingamp.
Brittle ?
Without a doubt.
We will also be able to repeat the story again and again, and comment on his choices (and those of the medical staff of the Brazilian selection) in terms of treatment after his first fracture of the fifth metatarsal in 2018, with the prospect of playing the Russian World Cup. at all costs.
"
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- Pochettino on Neymar:" Someone very endearing, a great professional "
And all the rest, that Mauricio Pochettino began to evoke on Wednesday, in Caen, and that the main interested party himself detailed Thursday on social networks: "Sometimes I feel uncomfortable because of my style of play , because I dribble and end up having fouls constantly, I don't know if I'm the problem or what I'm doing on the pitch ... It really saddens me.
It makes me too sad to have to hear a player, a coach, a commentator or anyone say: "he really has to take it", "diver", "crybaby", "spoiled child", etc. .. Honestly it saddens me and I don't know how long I can take it, I just want to be happy to play football.
ONLY THAT."
This is addressed in particular, one imagines it, to the Caen coach Pascal Dupraz, who had reproached the former of Santos to “cry” Wednesday, after this match of Coupe de France.
We have even less doubt when reading the latest message from Neymar's father on
...
"Neymar is very professional"
Mauricio Pochettino
Pochettino, in any case, does not want to hear about a potentially questionable lifestyle to explain this new glitch of "Ney".
“He got hurt, Angel Di Maria too.
Other players playing in other teams as well, he said at a press conference.
We are living through difficult times with the Covid.
The cadences are very important.
Already nine matches in 40 days since we joined the club!
The climate and the terrain do not help.
These are things that happen.
We have to find the best strategies to protect the players. ”
And to add: "What I can say is that he is very professional, he shows a great commitment to the club and his teammates."
The Argentinian technician also dismissed the idea of convalescence in Brazil.
The idea had germinated in the minds of some, knowing the habits of the star in the matter and knowing that it has for "about" a month, according to the Parisian club, because of this "lesion of the long left adductor ".
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- PSG: Neymar package in Barcelona and unavailable" about four weeks "
Charge to Mauricio Pochettino to find the right formula in order to bring back a Barcelona result without his Brazilian strategist, or at least to score this famous away goal.
Without Neymar, but also without Angel Di Maria for that matter.
“We can't go back, those are two important elements, but we have a very large and quality squad.
We have full confidence in this squad to find the necessary solutions for the upcoming matches, in the Coupe de France, Ligue 1 or the Champions League. ”
Solutions at the heart of which we find in particular Marco Verratti, called to play in the position of playmaker in Catalonia as he has done every time Neymar has been absent since the start of the year and the mandate of Pochettino.
Which Verratti is nevertheless… uncertain at the time of this writing, he who “continues his care and personal training following his hip contusion” dating from Sunday.
Verratti hoped for, Mbappé on the front line
One thing is certain: the little Italian will not play this Saturday against Nice.
No more than another ball player, Rafinha "spared following his muscle alert".
Good news ?
The temple keeper, Keylor Navas, is good at the service.
Layvin Kurzawa and Ander Herrera too.
Unless there is a problem by then, the first two will start at Camp Nou, while the third will be in balance with Danilo Pereira and especially Idrissa Gueye to accompany Leo Paredes to recovery, behind number 10 Verratti.
Logically, it is also the Spanish winger Pablo Sarabia who should replace Di Maria on the right.
Kylian Mbappé?
He is fit.
And it is finding color right now.
That's good: whoever claimed responsibilities not so long ago will have plenty to spare in the coming weeks.
This Saturday against Nice (5 p.m., 25th day), but especially at Camp Nou.
The main danger for the crumbly Barcelona rearguard will be him.
Not the only one, but still.
»
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In any case, Mauricio Pochettino promises not to ask too many questions when composing his eleven against the Aiglons.
“It's not difficult because we have to put the team best suited to bring us to victory,” he assures us.
It's a very important game, we have to win it.
We know the importance of each match.
We will see for the next match when that one is over. "
All this while crossing our fingers so that the list of injured does not grow even further.
By also crossing his fingers so that Neymar has less than a month.
"We will do everything to help him return as quickly as possible," swears the Parisian coach.
If possible before March 10, and the return match against Barça at the Parc des Princes.
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League 1 standings