Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has been dealt a significant blow as their star player Neymar Jr. will miss the rest of the season due to an ankle injury.

[{"selector":"#anim-003764a2-2355-44a5-8bce-d7637dd379cc","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bd6b61d1-1d7c-4668-8a07-ea32fecfc7ed","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

The Brazilian forward sustained the injury during PSG's 4-3 win against Lille, where he was stretchered off the field.

[{"selector":"#anim-b293aa74-15ff-4ab2-95ef-8533715fca2f","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c20d649d-8ea5-4de2-a4fe-2c875c3b8129","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b4a23549-a73b-4ba7-93c9-53c9f0a3b44c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

PSG confirmed that Neymar's right ankle has suffered from instability over the years, leading to a decision for him to undergo surgery.

[{"selector":"#anim-4907d7bc-d2ce-4832-917e-3cc918e16e9a","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-637fc213-b2ff-42c7-a290-57c9e46c73b8","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-16414b2f-7461-4aca-b18a-1b813cce6239","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Despite scoring 13 goals and providing 11 assists in Ligue 1 this season, Neymar has been absent from the team's recent matches.

[{"selector":"#anim-c5d10680-6d58-40f1-917f-cd2e4c62eee0","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-32bb8bdb-cc15-481c-bfa2-ae4314d8c70d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0a7fedb2-d40b-4512-8a5e-4500e5f8c4c9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

PSG's head coach, Christophe Galtier, expressed disappointment with the player's extended absence, as he played a crucial role in their title aspirations this season.

[{"selector":"#anim-9a1fa101-cece-4814-8029-10d2f35900c4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":5000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-174e18c0-18f9-4980-8d91-fc22850106e2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9b43c0b1-184b-4e51-a9d8-e92cb25c0534","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.29393%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

The recovery process is expected to take around three to four months, which means Neymar will likely miss the season's remaining games.

[{"selector":"#anim-e2251835-56af-4acf-8b2b-8082169154e2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":5000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1ab00031-0f12-4954-90fc-6c1b4ffc8866","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ef59262d-9798-4aaf-a003-a17ba7cd9fa2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.29393%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

The absence of the 31-year-old forward is a considerable blow to PSG, who will face a tough challenge in their remaining fixtures without one of their top performers.

[{"selector":"#anim-b17ccc34-2413-41da-878b-097f06821342","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":5000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-05cbe4ff-0d98-4269-890a-d6171db85ace","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e6c105d5-06c4-45fa-9898-f7b3dd2498a6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.97444%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Neymar has struggled with recurrent right ankle and foot injuries in the past, which has affected his playing time.

[{"selector":"#anim-ff26afad-1ae2-44ba-b34f-95a2b8fc4b97","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":5000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2b43f7c9-1686-479e-9fc5-c14eba384886","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0dc25e27-7b8c-430d-b5d4-81bc7d964969","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.97444%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

He missed six weeks of play in 2021 due to similar injuries and had to sit out Brazil's successful Copa América campaign in 2019.

[{"selector":"#anim-edcf39bc-7f6d-432f-9593-0d913627981e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a611836d-c441-4072-9bac-dd4d46a8fd03","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.97444%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Swipe for more

Despite his injury setbacks, Neymar has been in excellent form for PSG this season, scoring 18 goals and providing 17 assists in 29 games.

[{"selector":"#anim-ac5cbb82-458c-4deb-96bf-7def1c0f6f9d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":5000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-137d062b-c689-47fb-add4-2cc16ad53960","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fa322427-ad5e-4c9b-9129-197b8589739f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.29393%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

PSG will hope their star player can fully recover and return to the pitch stronger next season.

[{"selector":"#anim-2c70da3b-3b77-4756-9de0-f6f82163af86","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7b5f59d3-d792-4c9c-bf6a-6966d621e39d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.68371%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Next Story

SPORTS

Neymar's Season Over: PSG Star Player to Undergo Ankle Surgery