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Barcelona have been handed a huge boost ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain with news that Neymar will miss the game due to injury.
The Brazil international was forced off in Tuesday’s win over Caen but has now been diagnosed with an adductor injury that the French champions have confirmed will keep the forward out for four weeks.
Neymar will definitely miss the first leg against his former employers at the Camp Nou and also seems to be a doubt for the return at the Parc des Princes on March 10.
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Di Maria Will Also Miss Key Clash
The loss of Neymar will be a big blow to PSG’s hopes of progression. The Brazil international is a key player for the French champions and has scored six goals in five Champions League games this season.
PSG will also be without Angel Di Maria for the trip to the Camp Nou due to injury. Manager Mauricio Pochettino told a news conference on Tuesday that the Argentine will miss out, “Yes, it’s over for Angel Di Maria [to play against Barcelona]. We will communicate again in a week to see where we are.”
The French champions do still have plenty of attacking quality in their squad. Top scorer Kylian Mbappe is fit, while Moise Kean, Mauro Icardi, and Pablo Sarabia are all available and will offer a threat.
Barca Injuries Clearing Up?
Barcelona have suffered plenty of injuries of their own this season and were without eight senior players for the trip to Sevilla in the semi-finals of the 2020-21 Copa del Rey.
Yet Ronald Koeman’s side will have some players returning soon. Martin Braithwaite and Sergino Dest both joined in with full training on Thursday and are close to making a comeback, according to Javier Miguel at AS.
Catalan daily newspaper Diario Sport reports that center-back Ronald Araujo is also hoping to feature against PSG despite suffering a sprained ankle on Sunday against Real Betis. The Uruguay international is willing to risk his fitness to play in the crunch game.
The presence of Araujo would be a big boost for Barca who have gone five games without a clean sheet and conceded seven goals in their last three matches. The report states, “it will be a last minute decision based on how his ankle feels, but the player wants to play if he can.”
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