Neymar’s hopes of securing a place in the Brazil squad for the upcoming World Cup have hit another hurdle following his absence from Santos training on Sunday.
The forward was a notable absentee at the CT Rei Pele as the squad prepares for continental action, having been laid low with a viral infection.
Viral infection sidelines Brazil star
Santos have confirmed that Neymar was unable to participate in Sunday’s training session at CT Rei Pelé due to illness.
The 34-year-old was expected to join teammates who did not travel for the Saturday league fixture against Bahia, but he remained sidelined as the squad prepares for Copa Sudamericana competition.
Santos released an official statement to clarify the situation following concerns over his whereabouts on Sunday morning.
“The athlete Neymar Jr. presented a viral condition on Saturday night, was medicated, reacted well and continues to be monitored by the Santos medical department,” the club said.
Crucial week for Peixe and Neymar
The timing of the illness is far from ideal for both player and club. Santos are currently preparing for a pivotal Copa Sudamericana clash against San Lorenzo in Argentina, scheduled for Tuesday.
Neymar’s participation remains a doubt as he battles to recover from the infection in time for the trip to Buenos Aires. Neymar was intended to work alongside other high-profile team-mates such as Gabigol, Willian Arao, and Igor Vinicius.
These players were also absent from the match against Bahia but are expected to be available for selection under manager Cuca for the trip to Argentina.
World Cup ambitions under the spotlight
Every minor setback for Neymar is now viewed through the lens of his international future. With the World Cup approaching, the forward is under intense pressure to prove his physical reliability and match sharpness.
Missing training sessions, even due to illness, disrupts the rhythm he needs to convince the national team coaching staff.
While the club suggests he has reacted well to medication, the optics of another absence add to the narrative of a stop-start season for the legendary No. 10.
Neymar’s plan remains to meet up with the rest of the Santos squad in Buenos Aires on Monday, provided his health improves sufficiently over the next 24 hours.
Upcoming schedule and recovery
The Santos group that faced Bahia has been training at Vitoria’s facilities, with those who played on Saturday undergoing recovery work at their hotel.
The integration of Neymar and the rest of the returning stars is seen as vital for the club’s chances in the Sudamericana, where they face a daunting atmosphere at San Lorenzo.
Following the continental fixture, Santos face a grueling schedule that includes a massive Serie A clash against Palmeiras on May 2 and another away trip to face Paraguay’s Recoleta on May 5.
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