Amid reports Neymar was 2cm away from paralysis, Felipe Scolari reveals the Brazilian “couldn’t feel his legs.”
Amid reports Neymar was 2cm away from paralysis, Felipe Scolari reveals the Brazilian “couldn’t feel his legs.”
The striker was stretchered off in agony after receiving a knee in the back from Juan Camilo Zuniga during the quarter-final against Colombia.
“If you look at the video, Marcelo was leaning down next to him and asked how he was feeling,” revealed Scolari.
“He said ‘I can’t feel my legs.’ Marcelo was scared and called the doctor on but the doctor couldn’t get on in the confusion.”
It later emerged he had fractured the third lumbar vertebra and will be out for around six weeks.
There are reports the x-ray circulated show if Zuniga’s knee had been 2cm higher, Neymar could have been paralysed.
This makes it all the more concerning that the Barcelona star was stretchered off without being properly immobilised.
“It was a big shock, the image of Neymar being stretchered off to the helicopter, in difficulty, crying.
“Neymar was our benchmark, one of our references, because he is a player who makes a difference in any team.
“We’re in a situation where we’ve lost something we don’t want to miss, especially for the semi-final and Final.”
Neymar has been flown by air ambulance to undergo further tests, but Scolari asked him to attend the semi-final with Germany on Tuesday.
“He’ll be with us if he can be, on the bench or in the stands. It all depends on his state in the coming days. By his will, I’ve certainly felt that he will be. In any case, our Number 10 is represented by 5, 10, 200 million people.”
Meanwhile, Scolari confirmed the Brazil team will again call in sports psychologist Regina Brandao to “work on the issue of Neymar.”