Santos confirms new Neymar injury

Alsharq Tribune-Saied Ahmed

Santos forward Neymar has been diagnosed with a new leg muscle injury, the club confirmed Friday, marking the latest setback in his protracted struggle to regain full fitness.

The 33-year-old was forced off in the 34th minute of Santos' 2-0 victory over Atletico Mineiro on Wednesday and subsequent tests identified damage to the semimembranosus, one of the hamstring muscles.

In a statement on its official website, Santos said the latest injury was not a reoccurrence of a previous problem.

"The number 10 has already started treatment and ... will continue muscle strengthening work," Santos said, without providing an estimated timeframe for his recovery.

Neymar has struggled with a series of soft-tissue injuries since returning from a torn anterior cruciate ligament last October following a year on the sidelines.

A brief return to form earned the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star a call-up to the national team for World Cup qualifiers in March but he was later withdrawn due to another muscle injury.

"He will be reevaluated periodically for monitoring and new treatment definitions," Santos said in the statement. "It was known that these complications could occur, due to the time of inactivity."