Neymar suffers ankle sprain, but fracture is ruled out, informs PSG

The Brazilian Neymar, who was injured this Sunday, had a right ankle sprain detected in tests. The 31-year-old had an MRI that ruled out a fracture. A new ligament examination will be carried out in the coming days, informs PSG in an official note.

Medical report after #PSGLOSC @aspetar

—Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) February 19, 2023

The striker had been having a great match against Lille with a goal and an assist, but injured his right ankle, the same one he injured in the World Cup in Qatar, and had to be replaced. The Brazilian left the field crying and gave way to Frenchman Hugo Ekitike.

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.

With the injury, the Brazilian becomes one more concern for coach Christophe Galtier in the clash against Bayern Munich, in the round of 16 of the Champions League. The second leg is scheduled for March 8, at the Allianz Arena.

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.