Neymar injury mars PSG victory over Marseille
PARIS, France (AFP) — Neymar was worryingly stretchered off with an ankle injury yesterday, marring Paris Saint-Germain’s 3-0 victory over Marseille that increased their Ligue 1 lead to 14 points.
Just 10 days before the French leaders’ Champions League last 16, second-leg against Real Madrid, there was concern over the world’s most expensive player as Neymar was carried off 10 minutes from time.
The 26-year-old was on his own when he innocuously rolled his ankle and flopped to the ground in pain.
He was holding his head in his hands as he was taken off.
It was an otherwise easy night for the big-spending Parisians as teenager Kylian Mbappe became the youngest scorer in the French ‘Classique’.
Uruguayan goal-machine Edinson Cavani was also on the scoresheet while Neymar had a hand in PSG’s other goal.
With Monaco drawing 3-3 at Toulouse on Saturday and Lyon held 1-1 at home to local rivals Saint-Etienne earlier on Sunday, it meant none of PSG’s three nearest challengers managed to win.
Monaco remain second with Marseille third, two points behind, and Lyon a further five adrift.
This result was never in doubt and PSG coach Unai Emery even had the luxury of bringing off Mbappe, 19, after an hour to give Argentine international Angel Di Maria a half-hour run out — Emery may now be wishing he’d chosen to rest Neymar.