Despite World Class Foreigners, Al Hilal Lost ‘30% of the Attack’ Due to Injured Neymar’s Absence, Says Coach Jorge Jesus

It has been weeks since Neymar was sidelined due to an injury. While the Brazilian superstar is expected to be on the road to recovery for the rest of the season, it seems his domestic side, Al Hilal, is the one who is missing him the most. This comes after Jorge Jesus recently revealed that the team has lost the majority of its attack due to the Brazilian’s absence.

Despite having other big names at their disposal, the Saudi League side’s boss has reflected on the direct impact of Neymar’s absence on the team.

Al Hilal lost its attack due to the absence of Neymar

Neymar’s injury brought a cloud of uncertainty over his Copa America appearance in 2024. Subsequently, it dealt a huge blow to his domestic side, Al Hilal. Sure, his season-ending injury was bitter news for the Riyadh side, but they still had other big foreign names like Malcom and Aleksandar Mitrovic to cover up. Yet, it seems the presence of such revered stars isn’t enough for Al Hilal.

Apparently, his absence seems to have impacted Al-Za’eem on their attacking front. This comes from the mouth of their own manager, Jorge Jesus. As per Ar Riyadhiah, in a recent interview, the Portuguese tactician said, “Neymar’s injury lost us about 30% of the attack.” Indeed, this is a huge claim from the 69-year-old.

Notably, Ney has made five appearances for Al Hilal so far, of which two are in the AFC Champions League and three are in the Saudi Pro League. In these overall apps, he and Al Hilal have managed to win three matches, while the points were shared in the remaining two. Subsequently, he also managed to find a goal and notch three assists.

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While these numbers aren’t good enough, it doesn’t rule out the fact of how important he is for his domestic side. Perhaps if the injury hadn’t made its way back, Neymar would certainly be on fire. Nevertheless, let’s hope for his speedy recovery so that Al Hilal regains 100% of their attack. Meanwhile, the player recently gave a huge update on his recovery.

Neymar gives a huge update on his recovery

Earlier, Neymar was scheduled to undergo surgery. With the surgery now successfully completed, the striker recently provided a significant update to his supporters. The Al Hilal standout took to Instagram, where he shared an update, stating, “Everything went well. Thanks for the messages and now I’m concentrating on my recovery.”

Notably, the medical team of the Brazil team has expressed great confidence in Neymar’s surgery. They remain hopeful about his potential return for the upcoming Copa America. Likewise, Al Hilal sent their own medical chief, Juan Duque, who personally oversaw the surgical process. He assessed the specific damage to Ney’s cartilage and knee. Nevertheless, fans will be excited by this update.

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