PSG superstar Neymar has won the 2021 Samba Gold for the best Brazilian playing in Europe - just as reassuring medical reports indicated he should be fit to play in the crunch UEFA Champions League last 16 tie with Real Madrid on 15 February.
Despite being out of action with an ankle injury since the end of November, Neymar is still making headlines. On Wednesday the 29-year-old was awarded a second successive Samba Gold - Sambafoot's award for the best Brazilian player plying his trade abroad - to take his collection to a record five such titles (2014, 2015, 2017, 2020 and 2021).
An honour for the Parisian No.10 that comes jut as he has made his return to partial training following the ankle injury sustained against Saint-Etienne in late November.
A check-up on Monday yielded positive results, indicating that the Brazilian's recovery is on track - meaning he could well be ready to go when PSG face Real Madrid in the first leg of their capital club clash in the UEFA Champions League on February 15.
The good news saw Neymar return to partial training on Wednesday, doing a warm-up and a small part of the session with his teammates before peeling off for an individual session with on of the club's physios.
>> PLAYER PROFILE: Neymar Jr
