Neymar made his long-awaited return to the pitch after more than a year out due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury, coming on as a substitute during the second half of Al Hilal's AFC Champions League Elite match against Al Ain.
The Brazilian forward entered the game in the 77th minute, replacing Nasser Al Dawsari, shortly after Salem Al Dawsari netted a goal to give Al Hilal a 5-3 lead. Neymar almost made an immediate impact, linking up with Aleksandar Mitrovic to create a chance, but his shot went just wide of the left post.
The match concluded with a score of 5-4 in favor of Al Hilal, even after Al Ain managed to convert a late penalty.
After the final whistle, Neymar shared his feelings.
"I feel good..., he said. “I always have a good team. I'm so happy. I'm back! I'm back!"
The former Paris Saint-Germain star sustained his knee injury during a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay shortly after moving to the Saudi Pro League (SPL). He underwent surgery in November 2023.
Neymar joined Al Hilal from PSG in August 2023 for a reported fee of €90 million but had only played five matches before his injury.
In a show of support, Neymar's former club Santos celebrated his comeback with a message on X.
"It was more than 12 months away from the field, with an immeasurable longing to return to doing what he loves so much," the Brazilian club stated.
"Neymar is not just a star. It's not just genius. Neymar is synonymous with joy in football. His return is the happiness of millions of fans around the world. And, when it comes to fans, the Santos nation has an incomparable feeling. A more than special bond with the best Brazilian player of recent years."
Liverpool fans are eagerly awaiting news regarding the extent of Diogo Jota's injury, which forced him to leave the pitch during the team’s 2-1 win against Chelsea.
In the first half, Jota was injured following a challenge from Tosin Adarabioyo near the halfway line. He was substituted after just 30 minutes, with Darwin Nunez stepping in for him.
Currently, Jota is undergoing assessments from Liverpool’s medical team, but coach Arne Slot is preparing for the possibility that he will miss the Champions League match against RB Leipzig on Wednesday.
Following the match, Slot remarked on Liverpool's website, "Diogo had to be substituted, and I am not sure what it is, but I’d be surprised if he is there on Wednesday.
"Should Jota be unavailable, Nunez is almost certain to start against Leipzig, despite his challenging start to the season under Slot, having only netted once so far.
If Jota ends up sidelined for a few weeks, it will place significant pressure on Darwin to find the net during a tough series of matches.
According to Physio Scout on X/Twitter, Jota is thought to have sustained a rib injury from the collision. Although he attempted to continue after an on-field evaluation, he ultimately could not.
The potential scenarios for Jota's injury include either a rib contusion (bruise) or a rib fracture.
Rib injuries typically involve pain management, with recovery from a contusion generally taking 1-2 weeks. However, scans are necessary to confirm the absence of a fracture, which would prolong the recovery time.
Rib injuries are known for being particularly painful, which may explain why Jota was unable to carry on playing. If it is confirmed as a rib contusion, he might return in a couple of weeks; conversely, a fracture could lead to a recovery period of 4-6 weeks.
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