Zinedine Zidane hopes Neymar returns quickly from injury

Zinedine Zidane says he is disappointed by the injury sustained by Neymar despite the news coming as a boost to Real Madrid ahead of their Champions League meeting with Paris Saint-Germain.

Neymar was stretchered off in tears during their 3-0 Ligue 1 win against Marseille on Sunday with an ankle injury and is unlikely to return in time for the second-leg of their last 16 tie at the Parc des Princes on March 6.


Real Madrid will take a 3-1 first-leg lead to Paris next month as they aim to maintain their hopes of a third consecutive Champions League title and Zidane wants to see Neymar return in time for the fixture.

“I don’t like players getting injured so I am not glad to see Neymar’s injury,” Zidane said.

“I hope he can play that game because players need to play these matches.

“I would never wish a rival player not to play due to an injury – never.”

Sky Sports reports the Brazilian forward initially feared that his season had come to an abrupt end after suspecting he had sustained a broken ankle following the challenge from Bouna Sarr.

However, the injury is not as bad as first feared and the 26-year-old is expected to miss only three weeks of action after undergoing a scan on Sunday and could be available for the domestic fixture against Angers on March 14, according to PSG’s medical team.