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Neymar to undergo season-ending surgery on right ankle

Published:Monday | March 6, 2023 | 5:44 PM
PSG's Neymar is carried off the field on a stretcher after injuring his leg during the French League One football match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lille at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Sunday, February 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

PARIS (AP) — Neymar will undergo season-ending surgery on his damaged right ankle and will be out for up to four months, Paris Saint-Germain said on Monday.

Neymar will miss PSG's Champions League match at Bayern Munich on Wednesday and will be operated on in the coming days at a hospital in Doha, the Qatari-backed club said.

“Neymar Jr. has presented several episodes of instability of the right ankle in recent years,” PSG said in a statement.

“Following his last sprain on February 20, the Paris Saint-Germain medical staff recommended a ligament repair operation to avoid a major risk of recurrence. All the experts consulted have confirmed this necessity.”

Neymar picked up his latest injury last month in a 4-3 win over Lille in the French league.

He also injured his right ankle in Brazil's opening match at last year's World Cup in Qatar, but the forward was able to return later in the tournament.

Neymar has not played for PSG since the Lille game when he was taken off on a stretcher, but his absence has coincided with his team's resurgence as Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi raised their levels.

Neymar has been sidelined by foot, groin, rib and ankle injuries since joining the club for a record 222 million euros (then $263 million) from Barcelona in 2017.

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