Father ruled out Neymar in C’League duel against Man United

Neymar will not recover from his metatarsal injury in time to feature in Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League return clash with Manchester United, according to his father, who indicated that the forward will not play again until April.

PSG host United on March 6 in the second leg of their round of 16 tie, with the French champions taking a 2-0 lead into the game after Presnel Kimpembe and Kylian Mbappe scored in a convincing win at Old Trafford.Neymar has been out of action since he injured his foot in PSG’s 2-0 Coupe de France victory over Strasbourg on January 23, and his father ruled out the possibility of the 27-year-old playing in the next few weeks.

“For now Neymar is injured,” Neymar Senior told Telefoot.”It’s complicated and it bothers those who love football and who like to see him play.”The protocol is a minimum of 10 weeks. To come back against Manchester United is impossible.”

Neymar Senior moved to distance his son from speculation linking him with a move back to Spain, with Real Madrid and Barcelona both mentioned as potential suitors in the media.PSG paid Barcelona €222million for the Brazil international in August 2017 but reports that he would consider another lucrative move have persisted ever since.

Neymar Senior responded to the latest round of rumours, saying: “He is very happy in Paris, apart from the injury.”There are two people who speak for Neymar: he and I have not spoken at any time.

“Has anyone ever heard anything from us about a possible return to Barcelona?”It’s impossible to leave a player like him out of the rumours. There was no call with Barcelona, it’s wrong.”The present is in Paris, the future is in Paris. It’s hard to talk about the future because in football, it can change at any time.”