Neymar’s World Cup dreams still achievable – Gabriel Jesus

Neymar suffered a sprained ankle and a fractured foot during Paris Saint-Germain’s 3-0 victory over Marseille, and is currently responding to treatment in Brazil ahead of the 2018 World Cup scheduled later this year in Russia.

Image shows Neymar writhing in pains during the match against Marseille

In response to media speculations that Neymar may not recover on time to represent Brazil at the global soccer fiesta, Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus says the PSG ace will lead his country’s bid to win a sixth trophy at the World Cup.

Neymar underwent surgery in Brazil last week, with barely three months before the football tournament.

Jesus, who has been Neymar’s strike partner throughout the qualification rounds and since Tite took over as coach in June 2016, confirmed last weekend that he received a message from the injured forward.

“Neymar sent me a message right after his injury,” said Jesus, “and I told him how I felt and how my recovery was…He is a fighter and everything is going to be fine.”

Jesus recently bounced back from injury and scored on his first start after staying on the sidelines for over two months. He found the net during City’s 2-1 Champions League defeat by Basel on Wednesday after recovering from knee ligament damage.

However, Jesus admitted that Neymar will need psychological support and a good rest to overcome the “fear” that a potential injury setback could cost him his place at the World Cup.

Since the surgery in Belo Horizonte earlier this March, the Brazil forward’s recovery is being supervised by Ricardo Rosa, his former physio at first club Santos.

Neymar is not expected back in France within the next month and a half, reports say, and this implies he will likely stay until after the World Cup.

“When you are in the game, without wanting it, you end up thinking about the previous game where you got injured, you have a bit of fear,” Jesus reaffirmed.

“I think I still played with some fear,” he added. “I hold back some movements when I remember there’s a chance I could get injured again…I know anything can happen in football but I’m sure that the more you play, the quicker that fear is going to go away.”

Since the start of this season when City coach Pep Guardiola opted for just one striker up front, Jesus displaced City’s all-time leading scorer Sergio Aguero although the Argentina international footballer earned his lost prize following Jesus’s prolonged absence.

According to Telefoot, Al Khelaifi is scheduled to visit Neymar in the company of PSG’s sporting director, Antero Henrique, not just to hold discussions on the player’s contract with which remains valid until 2022, but to check on his recovery.

Neymar’s plan to leave the Parisian club was spurred by the club’s loss of relevance in global soccer despite their prominence in France.

News of Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez’s making Neymar his prime summer target is believed to have unsettled Al-Khelaifi and could be a reason for his planned visit.

PSG are reportedly throwing all weight in the balance to ensure that their most prized possession does not leave for the Santiago Bernabéu.