Neymar should be sidelined for three to four weeks, says newspaper

Neymar will become a big problem for PSG. The Brazilian, who was injured in the 4-3 victory over Lille in the French Championship last Sunday, should be sidelined for three to four weeks, according to French newspaper Le Parisien.

As a result, the number 10 of the French club will lose the second leg of the Champions League round of 16, against Bayern Munich, at the Allianz Arena. After the match, Neymar had an MRI that ruled out a fracture, but detected a sprain in his right ankle. A new ligament exam will be done in the next few days.

The injury happened after a move in which André, from Lille, arrived to mark Neymar, who ended up spraining his ankle due to the rival’s load from behind. The bid wasn’t hard, so much so that the opposing athlete didn’t get a yellow card.

His teammate Mbappé was keen to show his support for Neymar on social media. “Stay strong @neymarjr. The whole team is expecting you very soon. Let’s go bro,” wrote the French striker.

What is an ankle sprain?

A sprain, or ankle sprain, is an injury that occurs when there is “a lateral movement of the foot at an intensity beyond normal”, according to the definition of the Brazilian Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology (SBOT). The injury is classified into three levels of severity, according to the SBOT guidelines: grade 1, when there is ligament strain; grade 2, when there is a partial ligament injury; and grade 3, when there is total ligament injury.

Orthopedists also guide the performance of complementary exams, in certain cases, to investigate possible fractures associated with torsion. X-rays are usually taken when there is pain “at specific bony points” or in cases of “impossibility of walking (at least four steps)”, according to the SBOT.