Jorge Jesus does not rule out Neymar: “I’m counting on him in the Champions League and the World Cup”
Coach explains decision not to register Brazilian star in Saudi championship and is full of praise: «I was unlucky not to be able to work with one of the best in the world»
Jorge Jesus, Al Hilal coach, said that, even though he is not registering Neymar for the championship, he is counting on the Brazilian star for the remaining competitions, the Asian Champions League and the Club World Cup. “I don’t know if he will accept or not. I would like him to accept,” he added.
“A player who has been injured for 15 months, in Saudi Arabia, Brazil or anywhere else in the world, has difficulty recovering in competition. And he knows that perfectly well. I am also in a situation where I cannot register any more players, I would have to take someone off. And, today, taking one of the eight foreigners from Al Hilal is difficult”, explained Jorge Jesus in an interview with the Brazilian media. Despite this, says the Portuguese coach, the Brazilian star is not “out of the running”. “At the moment, Al Hilal has two competitions. He is out of one, but he still has 12 or 13 games in the Asian Champions League. It is not what he would like, which is to be in both. The management and the PIF [Saudi public investment fund] are the ones who decide the situation.”
Jesus then leaves a request for the player: «I would like him to be with me in the Champions League. If I am still here at the World Cup, and he is too, I would like us to be part of this project.» However, the coach does not forget the possibility of the Brazilian leaving: «From now on, things will not only depend on me, they will depend on the PIF, the administration. And also on him, of course.» Whatever the decision, one thing is certain: Jorge Jesus has nothing but praise for Neymar : «I was unlucky not to be able to work with one of the best players in the world. Neymar was with me for a month, he got injured and has been trying to recover for 15 months. He is a spectacular boy. He is not a star in the team, he is a group boy, lovely to work with», described the Portuguese.
