Neymar Out Of World Cup

[MegaBonus]

The Guardian, Saturday 5 July 2014


Brazil’s bid to win a sixth World Cup has suffered a devastating blow after Neymar was ruled out of the rest of the tournament after fracturing a bone in his back during the quarter-final victory against Colombia.

The Barcelona striker was taken off the pitch on a stretcher after taking a knee to the back from the Colombia defender Juan Zuniga late in the game.

He was taken to a private clinic in Fortaleza – “crying out in pain”, according to the Brazil manager, Luiz Felipe Scolari, – where an X-ray revealed he had fractured one of his vertebrae.

Rodrigo Lasmar, the Brazil team doctor, said: “This news is not easy but he will not be available for the rest of the World Cup. Neymar has a broken vertebra. He will be out for four to six weeks.”

Zuniga defended the challenge, claiming he did not deliberately try to hurt Brazil’s talisman.

“It was a normal move” he said. “I never meant to hurt a player. I was on the field, playing for the shirt from my country, not without the intent to injure. I was just defending my shirt.”

Thiago Silva and David Luiz had scored the goals to set up a semi-final against Germany in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday, but Neymar’s injury represents a grievous setback given his importance to the team and the absence of a ready-made replacement. He has been one of the stars of the tournament and a player the Brazil public regard as their best hope of victory.

Brazil will also have to do without Thiago Silva against Germany, ruled out after his second yellow card of the tournament, but it is the news about Neymar that will raise the most doubts about whether Scolari’s team have enough quality to go all the way.

Scolari had earlier held a press conference in which he ruled Neymar out of the Germany game but acknowledged that the news might be even worse.

“I don’t know,” he said to the question of how he could replace Neymar. “I’m going to have to study this. It depends how people recover. Neymar has gone to a clinic.

“He was crying out in pain and I can guarantee it’s going to be hard for him, from what the doctors are telling me, and from what I was seeing, with the pain he was in. He’s young, he has a lot of energy and he takes cares of himself. So let’s see. Let’s just hope it’s not a serious problem.”

Unfortunately for Brazil, the scan revealed the injury was worse than Brazil’s medical staff had initially feared. “He’s out of the competition,” David Luiz said. “He’s a great guy and now he’s out. Everyone feels sad.”

Maicon added: “We must give Neymar all our support. It is complicated now [for the team], at this stage of a World Cup.”

[Blue Mastiff]

Zuniga dirty player

[Fact Hunt]

Neymar was painful to watch this morning with all his diving around. Sorry to hear he is allegedly out if indeed he doesn't make a miraculous recovery and "surprisingly" play the semi.

[Juventino]

Neymar was painful to watch this morning with all his diving around. Sorry to hear he is allegedly out if indeed he doesn't make a miraculous recovery and "surprisingly" play the semi.

Would be some recovery considering he is to be out for a month.

[Rookie]

Zuniga dirty player

I've seen about 100 worse tackles than that this World Cup

[Con M]

Horrible tackle on a player who wasn't expecting that hit on his back.

World-wide viewing audience almost certain to be deprived of seeing this talent in the Semi or Final now.

[El Pibe D'Oro]

It was a late challenge no doubt, the guy frantically trying anything to win the ball back.

Would anyone have given a s*it if the foul was by David Luiz on a Colombian player?? The outcry because it's Neymar is hypocritical at best.

[Ibelieve]

What Zuniga did, was worse than Suarez. FIFA should be looking at that????

[Rookie]

What Zuniga did, was worse than Suarez. FIFA should be looking at that????

You are kidding me right

[Ibelieve]

What Zuniga did, was worse than Suarez. FIFA should be looking at that????

You are kidding me right

NO- he meant to injure him. Not defending Suarez, what he did was wrong, but the intent to deliberately injure a player as Zuniga did should be looked at & dealt with

[Rookie]

What Zuniga did, was worse than Suarez. FIFA should be looking at that????

You are kidding me right

NO- he meant to injure him. Not defending Suarez, what he did was wrong, but the intent to deliberately injure a player as Zuniga did should be looked at & dealt with

We will have to agree to disagree here. I didn't think there was any malice intended and you can't watch it in slow motion either. Full speed shows he led with his knee but was contesting the challenge

[Juventino]

Better sanction a few Brazilians then - they were trying to kick and injure James Rodriguez all game.

[Nice One Cyril]

Better sanction a few Brazilians then - they were trying to kick and injure James Rodriguez all game.

Ref was dogshite. If he'd have dished out about a dozen yellow cards between both sides, nobody could have complained and it was no surprise to me to see the Colombians retaliate, since the ref had effectively lost control.

How Fernandinho wasn't sent off before half time is something of a mystery.

[wizard]

Sucks that such a good player is out of the comp for Brazil, especially at home.

Would have been incredibly scary when he said he couldn't feel his legs.