FIFA probes Neymar injury incident

Rio de Janeiro, July 6 :

World football body FIFA is investigating whether Colombia’s Juan Zuniga made an intentional tackle on Brazilian striker Neymar during the World Cup quarter-final that left the Barcelona star out of the tournament with a fractured vertebrae.

“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee is analysing all the elements provided, the videos and the match reports and will decide whether or not to take action,” FIFA spokeswoman Delia Fischer told a briefing recently, reports EFE.

Neymar was injured in Brazil’s 2-1 win over Colombia Friday when Zuniga kneed him in the back. The Barcelona star stumbled forward and fell on his face, wincing and in tears. He was carried off teh field on a stretcher.

Neymar will miss the rest of the World Cup as he would need four to six weeks to heal, according to his doctors.

Zuniga, however, denied he intentionally sought to hurt Neymar, saying, “When I’m on the field. I always do what I have to, to defend my country and the shirt I wear, but always without intent to injury anybody.”

Neymar injury left Brazilian fans at a shock as they face Germany in a tough semi-final Tuesday.

-IANS/EFE