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.



Man City Have the Spirit to Weather the Storm, Dias Says

Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola gives instructions to Manchester City's Portuguese defender #03 Ruben Dias from the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on December 1, 2024. (AFP)
Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola gives instructions to Manchester City's Portuguese defender #03 Ruben Dias from the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on December 1, 2024. (AFP)
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Man City Have the Spirit to Weather the Storm, Dias Says

Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola gives instructions to Manchester City's Portuguese defender #03 Ruben Dias from the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on December 1, 2024. (AFP)
Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola gives instructions to Manchester City's Portuguese defender #03 Ruben Dias from the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on December 1, 2024. (AFP)

Manchester City have the character to come through the rough patch of form that saw the defending champions slump to a fourth straight Premier League defeat at Liverpool on Sunday, defender Ruben Dias said.

Goals from Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah gave leaders Liverpool a 2-0 win at Anfield which left City 11 points behind Arne Slot's side in fifth place.

City, who lost four league games in a row for the first time since 2008, are winless in their last seven matches in all competitions, a run that includes six defeats and a 3-3 draw at home against Feyenoord in the Champions League.

They have conceded 19 goals during the winless streak, shipping four in matches against Tottenham Hotspur and Sporting. Prior to the slump they had conceded 11 in 14 games.

"I will not talk about the little details but focus on the bigger picture," said Dias, who was at fault in the lead up to Liverpool's second.

"That is, even though it was a difficult moment I did see a lot of character and I did see the fans behind us and that is the only way we are going to go through it."

City, who have won six of the last seven Premier League titles, have been hit hard by injuries to key players such as Rodri, Mateo Kovacic and John Stones but manager Pep Guardiola has been able to guide the side through injury crises in previous seasons.

"This is just part of our legacy. We have won so much and still we are where we are and this happens," Dias added.

"We have been able to be versatile, adapt and keep on moving forward and thinking one game at a time... That is what we need to get back to."