SAINT-GERMAIN-EN-LAYE: Paris Saint-Germain's forward Neymar (center) controls the ball next to forward Lionel Messi (right) and defender Marquinhos during a training session at the club's Camp des Loges training ground in Saint-Germain-en-Laye yesterday, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League first round group A football match against RB Leipzig. – AFP

PARIS: Neymar has been ruled out of Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League Group A clash with RB Leipzig tonight with an adductor muscle injury, his club said. PSG said in a medical bulletin yesterday that Neymar "had some pain in his groin since returning from international duty and will undergo more treatment over the next few days before returning to full training."

The world's most expensive player scored for Brazil in their 4-1 World Cup qualifying win against Uruguay last Thursday, playing 90 minutes in that game having also featured in their 0-0 draw in Colombia the previous weekend. He didn't play for PSG as they beat Angers 2-1 in Ligue 1 last Friday, a game also missed by Lionel Messi.

The Argentine should return against Leipzig at the Parc des Princes as PSG look to build on their 2-0 win over Manchester City in their previous Champions League outing last month. Neymar, meanwhile, will hope to recover in time to play Marseille next weekend. "The priority is always the health of the players. 'Ney' has a small issue which we hope will only keep him out for a few days," PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino told reporters yesterday.

Despite his injury, Neymar did take part in training yesterday, unlike Mauro Icardi, who was absent due to what Pochettino called "personal problems". Media reports in France said former Inter striker Icardi had gone to Milan to try to resolve relationship troubles with his partner Wanda Nara, who is also his agent. PSG are without the suspended Angel di Maria as well as the unfit duo Leandro Paredes and Sergio Ramos for the meeting with the Germans.

"They are a super team with some of the best attacking players in the world. Maybe we will have to play with a seven-man defense," smiled Leipzig's American coach Jesse Marsch. Leipzig are currently bottom of Group A without a point, while PSG and Club Brugge are level on four points and Manchester City have three before playing in Belgium tonight. - AFP