Yokohama (Japan): Injured striker Neymar sat out training for a second straight day Tuesday as Barcelona prepared for its Club World Cup semifinal. Neymar now looks unlikely to play for the European champion, which is seeking a third Club World Cup crown, against Asian champion Guangzhou Evergrande of China.
He sustained a groin injury in training last week ahead of the Champions League match with Bayer Leverkusen. Neymar also skipped Monday’s practice, which took place only hours after the team arrived in Yokohama following an overnight flight.
Guangzhou Ever-grande, coached by Neymar’s Brazilian compatriot Luiz Felipe Scolari, is on a 28-match unbeaten run and beat Club America of Mexico in the previous round.
But European champion Barcelona is only just getting to know about its Chinese rival. “Between today and tomorrow, we will know more about the team — our manager, Luis Enrique, will inform us about their team, and our tactics,” said Barcelona’s left-sided player Jordi Alba said.
“But it will be a very difficult and complicated game, and difficult to reach the final. We will have to play very well,” he added. Guangzhou Evergra-nde last lost in May, just before Scolari, who led Brazil to World Cup glory in 2002, became coach.
“Our team did everything possible to get here and to play Barcelona, so this is absolutely spectacular for us,” said Scolari. “We know we are the small team, but I think we can do something. I have to dream and make the players believe that they can do it. Why not dream, why not believe we can beat Barcelona?”
Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets, whose side were welcomed by hundreds of Japanese fans when they arrived on Monday, recognised the threat. Although a Barcelona-River Plate final is considered the likely outcome, the Argentines will not be taking their Japanese opponents lightly, especially as South American teams have found the semifinal tie anything but a formality in the past.
Download the all new Deccan Chronicle app for Android and iOS to stay up-to-date with latest headlines and news stories in politics, entertainment, sports, technology, business and much more from India and around the world.
