Dugarry: 'PSG is stronger when Neymar is injured'
* Bayern - PSG: 3am on Thursday, 9/3, Hanoi time.
In the 4-3 win over Lille on February 19, Neymar was fouled by midfielder Benjamin Andre from behind, causing his ankle to bend backwards. After a few minutes of being cared for by medical staff, the Brazilian star left the field on a stretcher with tears in his eyes. After the match, PSG announced that Neymar had no broken bones, but was diagnosed by doctors with a sprained right ankle.
On March 6, the owner of the Parc des Princes announced that Neymar had many problems in his right ankle and was forced to undergo surgery to "avoid the risk of serious recurrence". PSG also said that the 30-year-old striker will have surgery in Doha, Qatar and must rest for at least three months.
This is Neymar's sixth ankle sprain since 2019, and is also the type of injury he has suffered the most in his career.
Dugarry said this is good news for PSG and a "great opportunity for coach Christophe Galtier". According to the French player, PSG is more balanced when playing with five defenders, three midfielders and the duo Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe in the front line. "I am very happy that Neymar is injured," Dugarry said on RMC Sport on March 7.
Neymar joined PSG for a world record transfer fee of $ 263 million in the summer of 2017, earning a season salary of $ 30 million. The Brazilian striker scored 115 and assisted 73 goals in 167 matches, won four Ligue 1, three French Cups, two French League Cups, three French Super Cups but did not win the Champions League. Neymar's best achievement with PSG was reaching the Champions League final 2019-2020, where they lost 0-1 to Bayern.
Dugarry emphasized that Neymar's contributions are not worth the mountain of money that PSG pay, and do not want the striker to continue playing for the club. "I can't see and stand Neymar anymore. I can't stand Neymar's dribbling and that attitude. I'm tired," he added.
The 50-year-old former striker is only worried for PSG if Messi or Mbappe has a long-term injury. He also criticized Hugo Ekitike and other PSG strikers as "not yet at the desired level and very mediocre".
Dugarry played for many clubs such as Milan, Barca, Marseille, and Bordeaux before moving to Birmingham City and retiring with Qatar SC in 2005. He was also a member of the France team that won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.
PSG won the last two matches that Neymar was absent, when he defeated Marseille 3-0 and Nantes 4-2 to secure the top of Ligue 1. Today, Messi and his teammates are guests of Bayern in the second leg of the 1/8 round. Champions League. In the first leg at Parc des Princes, PSG lost 0-1 because of a goal from Kingsley Coman - a striker who played for the youth team and the first team of the club in the period 2004-2014.
