Neymar Suspects Latest Injury Nothing More Serious than Cramp

Football - Asian Champions League - Group B - Al-Ain v Al-Hilal - Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates - October 21, 2024 Al-Hilal's Neymar during the warm up before the match. (Reuters)
Football - Asian Champions League - Group B - Al-Ain v Al-Hilal - Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates - October 21, 2024 Al-Hilal's Neymar during the warm up before the match. (Reuters)
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Neymar Suspects Latest Injury Nothing More Serious than Cramp

Football - Asian Champions League - Group B - Al-Ain v Al-Hilal - Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates - October 21, 2024 Al-Hilal's Neymar during the warm up before the match. (Reuters)
Football - Asian Champions League - Group B - Al-Ain v Al-Hilal - Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates - October 21, 2024 Al-Hilal's Neymar during the warm up before the match. (Reuters)

Neymar was not too downcast after being forced to leave Monday's Asian Champions League Elite match due to injury with the Al-Hilal forward saying he felt the issue was nothing more than a strong cramp.

The Brazilian, who limped off 30 minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute in Al-Hilal's 3-0 win over Esteghlal, said doctors had warned him about the potential for muscle issues following his return from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

The 32-year-old returned to action two weeks ago, having been out since Brazil's CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October last year when he suffered the injury.

"It felt like a cramp, only very strong!" Neymar posted on Instagram. "I'm going to have some tests and I hope it's nothing too serious.

"It's normal for this to happen after a year, the doctors had already warned me, so I have to be careful and play more minutes."

Neymar has played only seven games for Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal since moving from Paris St Germain in August last year.



Bundesliga Strugglers Bochum Appoint Ex-Wolfsburg Boss Hecking as Head Coach

Then Moenchengladbach head coach Dieter Hecking gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and Fortuna Duesseldorf, Germany, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018. (AP)
Then Moenchengladbach head coach Dieter Hecking gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and Fortuna Duesseldorf, Germany, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018. (AP)
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Bundesliga Strugglers Bochum Appoint Ex-Wolfsburg Boss Hecking as Head Coach

Then Moenchengladbach head coach Dieter Hecking gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and Fortuna Duesseldorf, Germany, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018. (AP)
Then Moenchengladbach head coach Dieter Hecking gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and Fortuna Duesseldorf, Germany, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018. (AP)

Bundesliga strugglers VfL Bochum have named former VfL Wolfsburg manager Dieter Hecking as their new head coach on a contract until the end of the season, the club said on Monday.

The 60-year-old replaces fellow German Peter Zeidler, who was fired last month.

Having last managed Nuremberg on a temporary basis in the 2022-23 season, Hecking also had spells at Hamburger SV, Borussia Monchengladbach, among others.

He won the German Cup and Supercup with Wolfsburg in 2015 and was named German Football Manager of the Year that same year.

Bochum are bottom of the table with one point from nine games. Their last match was a 7-2 thrashing at Eintracht Frankfurt and they next host reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.