Tite Rues Neymar

By Max Wise

Brazil manager, Tite, has bemoaned Neymar’s absence for the upcoming Copa America after the Paris Saint Germain attacker was ruled out for four weeks following an ankle injury picked up in last week’s friendly win over Qatar.

Neymar lasted just 17 minutes in the game before he was replaced in the latest of a series of injury problems that have hampered the former Barcelona forward’s progress in the past year.

Neymar’s absence for the Copa America has paved the way for Chelsea winger, Willian, to be drafted in the Brazil squad as a replacement.

Tite however believes Neymar’s injury is a big blow to Brazil’s title hopes of winning the Copa America for the first time since 2007, as he ranks him as the third best player in the world behind undoubted duo, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Asked about Neymar prior to Sunday's final warm-up match against Honduras, Tite told reporters: "My feelings [in relation to Neymar] is of concern for the human side and for him to be in good health.

"And second, I have concern and regret not having a player of his quality, he is a top-three player in the world. For me, apart from Messi and Ronaldo, he compares to [Eden] Hazard, but he has an advantage over Hazard, they think the same way, but he [Neymar] runs the plays faster.

"He is the player that we ask for. I'm talking about the athlete, not all the other circumstances behind it. I told him that. And that's my opinion."

Neymar’s latest injury setback has capped a difficult year so far for the Brazilian as he has received separate three-game bans from UEFA and the French Football Federation, been stripped off the Brazilian national team captaincy and is now embroiled in a nasty rape accusation saga.