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Neymar’s hopes of securing a place in Brazil’s squad for the upcoming World Cup hit a new obstacle following his absence from Santos training on Sunday.
The striker was a notable absentee at CT Rei Pele as the team prepares for continental action, after suffering a viral infection.
Viral infection sidelines Brazilian star
Santos confirmed that Neymar was unable to take part in Sunday’s training at CT Rei Pelé due to illness.
The 34-year-old was due to join his non-traveling teammates for Saturday’s league match against Bahia, but remained on the sidelines as the team prepares for the Copa Sudamericana competition.
Santos released an official statement to clarify the situation following concerns over his whereabouts on Sunday morning.
“Athlete Neymar Jr. presented with a viral illness on Saturday evening, was medicated, responded well and continues to be monitored by the Santos medical service,” the club said.
Crucial week for Peixe and Neymar
The timing of the illness is far from ideal, both for the player and the club. Santos are currently preparing for a crucial Copa Sudamericana clash against San Lorenzo in Argentina, scheduled for Tuesday.
Neymar’s participation remains uncertain as he struggles to recover from the infection in time for the trip to Buenos Aires. Neymar was destined to work alongside other high profile teammates such as Gabigol, Willian Arao and Igor Vinicius.
These players were also absent from the match against Bahia but should be available for selection under coach Cuca for the trip to Argentina.
World Cup ambitions in the spotlight
Every minor setback for Neymar is now viewed through the prism of his international future. With the World Cup approaching, the striker is under intense pressure to prove his physical reliability and match skills.
Missing training, even due to illness, disrupts the rhythm he needs to convince the national team coaches.
With the club suggesting he has responded well to medication, the prospect of another absence adds to the tale of a stop-start season for the legendary No.10.
Neymar’s plan remains to meet the rest of the Santos squad on Monday in Buenos Aires, provided his health improves sufficiently over the next 24 hours.
Upcoming calendar and recovery
The Santos squad that faced Bahia trained at the Vitoria facilities, while those who played on Saturday underwent recovery work at their hotel.
The integration of Neymar and the rest of the returning stars is seen as vital to the club’s chances in the Sudamericana, where they face an intimidating atmosphere at San Lorenzo.
After the continental match, Santos faces a grueling schedule that includes a huge Serie A clash against Palmeiras on May 2 and another away trip to face Recoleta of Paraguay on May 5.
