Brazil’s injured striker, Neymar will attend Saturday’s third-place play-off when the battered World Cup hosts take on the Netherlands. Brazil were consigned to the ignominy of fighting out a game Dutch coach, Louis van Gaal has attacked as “unfair” after their 7-1 semifinal mauling by Germany.
Neymar’s absence dominated the build-up to Tuesday’s humiliation. The Barcelona striker missed out after fracturing a vertebrae in the quarterfinal win over Colombia.
“Neymar will come here (to Brazil’s World Cup base), he’s going to accompany the team to Saturday’s match,” confirmed Brazil football federation spokesman, Rodrigo Paiva to R7.com.
Paiva announced the news at Brazil’s World Cup headquarters in Teresopolis, near Rio de Janeiro.
Medics from the superstar striker’s Barcelona club visited him at his home to check his injury.
A statement on Barcelona’s website reported: “FC Barcelona’s Medical Services visited Neymar Jr at the player’s home in Brazil this week.
“The Club’s Medical Services confirmed the CBF’s diagnosis that Neymar had fractured the L3 vertebrae in his back.
“The CBF and Barca’s Medical Services are in agreement on the type of treatment the player will undergo in his recovery process.
“The player is recovering well and he’ll continue his recovery in Barcelona starting on August 5.”
Neymar’s absence and as importantly that of suspended defender and captain, Thiago Silva contributed to Tuesday’s shocking battering by a Germany side that now faces Argentina in Sunday’s final.
Van Gaal’s Holland find themselves in the play-off after Wednesday’s 4-2 penalty shoot-out loss to Argentina.
Afterwards van Gaal attacked the play-off, saying: “I think this match should never be played.”
“It’s unfair also because we have one less day to recover, so that’s not fair play But the worst thing is that chances are you lose twice in a row.”
Two players refused first Dutch penalty – van Gaal
Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal has revealed two of his players refused to step up to take the first penalty in Wednesday’s 4-2 World Cup semi-final shoot-out loss to Argentina.
The ill-fated honour eventually fell to defender Ron Vlaar, whose effort was saved by Argentina keeper Sergio Romero.
“I asked two players ahead of Vlaar to take the first penalty,” van Gaal told Dutch news agency ANP.
“They refused. Vlaar in my view was our best player. Unfortunately he didn’t score,” the Manchester United-bound coach added.
Unlike in the quarter-finals against Costa Rica, the Dutch fell down in the penalty shootout, with both Vlaar — who played a brilliant game until then — and veteran Wesley Sneijder failing to score against Romero.
“Our penalties against Costa Rica were incredible. That should have given us confidence,” said van Gaal.
“You have to maximise the first penalty shot,” he added.
Van Gaal said he would have brought in replacement goalkeeper Tim Krul, who faced the penalties shootout and saved the day against Costa Rica, to take over from regular goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen.
“But I’ve already used my three substitutes at that time.”
“In the end Romero stopped two penalties,” he said.
Argentina face Germany in Sunday’s final while van Gaal’s Holland take on Brazil in the third place play-off 24 hours earlier.

Neymar to join Brazil for third-place play-off