Montevideo

Neymar's participation in the highly-anticipated AFC Champions League match in Mumbai is in jeopardy after the star Brazilian footballer suffered a nasty knee injury during the World Cup qualifiers match against Uruguay on Tuesday (Oct 18). 

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Neymar tripped and fell during a run at the Centenario Stadium in the 44th minute of the match which quickly turned more serious than first anticipated. After the physios and the medical staff came out to attend to him, it was decided to take him off the game. A stretcher was called in and Neymar was ushered out of the turf. Cameras caught him crying as the striker could not contribute to the Selecao's cause who eventually lost the contest 0-2. 

"Let's hope it's nothing serious. He's an important player for us, we're very fond of him. He's been suffering a lot from injuries and when he starts to pick up the pace he gets injured again," Brazil captain Casemiro told reporters after the match. 

Meanwhile, Brazil team doctor Lasmar informed that a second round of tests was required to have a clear picture of Neymar's injury. 

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“We did all the tests and we will repeat them tomorrow. Those 24 hours are key to see how his knee will respond, how swollen it will be and what images will show. Let's wait for the exams with calmness, evaluate with calmness and tell you once we have a diagnosis," Lasmar said, as quoted by the AP.

Also read | Brazil, Al Hilal star Neymar set to play in India for first time this season! Check details

Indian fans wait for Neymar

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Representing Al-Hilal, Neymar had been scheduled to play at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on November 6. Al Hilal, the most successful side in AFC Champions League history, will be locking horns with Indian Super League (ISL) club Mumbai City FC. 

Thousands of fans across the country had been jostling for tickets to the match to watch the Brazilian superstar make a rare appearance in the country. Such has been the craze that organisers had to shift the picture from Pune to Navi Mumbai, anticipating the swarm in numbers. However, given the extent of injury, it looks highly unlikely that Neymar would be fit in time for the match.  

Neymar's career

Ever since leaving Barcelona in 2017, Neymar has had a start-stop-start career, primarily due to injuries and having to play at a club where no clear long-time footballing strategy is in place. 

After his move to Saudi, Neymar admitted he "lived through hell" in Paris alongside Lionel Messi. The PSG fans never took a liking to Neymar and accused him of only being there to secure the bag. 

(With inputs from agencies)

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