It’s a literal slap in the face.
“Al-Hilal announced that Neymar will need four to six weeks of treatment and rehabilitation for a hamstring injury,” ESPN reported on Sunday.
A Brazilian media outlet reported that Al Hilal is considering terminating Neymar’s contract next January.
Neymar came on as a substitute against Esteghlal (Iran) in the fourth leg of the AFC Champions League Elite League stage at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, 토토사이트 Saudi Arabia, on May 5.
He was substituted late in the second half after complaining of pain in his right thigh and appeared to be in discomfort. “It’s not a simple injury,” coach Jorge Jesús Alhilal explained at the time.
Neymar went down again just two weeks after returning from injury. He suffered the left knee injury on October 18 last year in the fourth match of the South American qualifier for the North and Central American World Cup against Uruguay. He tore his anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus and underwent surgery.
Neymar returned to action in the third leg of the AFC Champions League Elite League stage against Al Ain (UAE) on October 22, but was sidelined again just two games later.
This has led to speculation that Alhilal and Neymar may part ways. “Alhilal is considering terminating Neymar’s contract in January,” Brazilian media outlet UOL reported. Neymar is contracted to Alhilal until June of next year, but there are doubts that he will be able to regain his form by then.
Neymar’s lack of success since his move to Al-Hilal has left him vulnerable to the ‘scam’ controversy that often follows players who fail to deliver. Neymar joined Al-Hilal in August 2023 from Paris Saint-Germain for a transfer fee of around 90 million euros (approximately KRW 13.54 billion). His annual salary is reportedly €150 million (KRW 25.56 billion).
Neymar has only played seven games for Al-Hilal. His latest injury occurred during a game at Al-Hilal, but he had already been out of action for over a year due to a knee injury he suffered while playing for Brazil last year. Upon his return, he played less than an hour and was sidelined again with a hamstring injury just two games later.
Neymar has always been injury-prone, but his recent string of long-term injuries and his lack of work ethic, which has always been a problem, have been a growing concern. As a result, it”s unclear how long it will take for Neymar to regain his form and performance. This has led Al-Hilal to consider terminating his contract.
“Neymar’s comeback hasn’t gone as well as expected,” said Arab News in the Middle East. “He even had a gold ring stolen from his hand while high-fiving a fan in the stands before kickoff,” the article said.
“Neymar didn’t check his finger until he was on his way to warm up before the game, and that’s when he realized the ring had been stolen. The identity of the thief is unknown, but the ring has already been auctioned off.”