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Neymar’s first league start back at Santos turned into a nightmare as he left the pitch in tears after suffering a serious injury as his side defeated Atlético Mineiro.
What happened?
As his team was already winning by 2-0 in the first half, Neymar had to be carried off of the pitch on a stretcher when a clear and obvious mis-step saw the Brazilian international go to ground in considerable pain.
Neymar left the field in tears, and in obvious discomfort, leaving the Santos staff and fans fearing the worst about their star man.
The bigger picture
The severity of Neymar’s injury is far from ideal for the forward, who will likely need to spend time on the sidelines. He will undergo medical tests at the hospital to get more clarity on the nature of the damage and treatment required, and only then can a timeline for his recovery be devised.
Neymar has struggled with injuries time and again throughout this spell at Santos, and this setback comes at a time when he was showing signs of finding form.
The former Barcelona forward has 3 goals and 3 assists in 11 matches across competitions for Santos this season, so if he is sidelined for a considerable period of time, then Pedro Caixinha will have a hard time replacing his numbers on the field as they continue to challenge for titles on multiple fronts this season.
What next?
Santos will now turn their focus towards the weekend’s league match against São Paulo, and should Neymar be out for an extended period of time, the portuguese coach will have to find replacements in the lineup.