Football
Jonathan Johnson, PSG correspondent 6y

Neymar returns to PSG but won't rejoin training straight away - Emery

PARIS -- Paris Saint-Germain coach Unai Emery has insisted Neymar will not be rushed back into training when he returns to France this week.

The Brazil international is due back in Paris on Friday morning before reporting to the Camp des Loges training centre for the first time since fracturing the fifth metatarsal in his right foot at the end of February.

"Neymar will arrive soon -- Friday or Saturday," Emery told his prematch news conference ahead of Friday's game at Amiens. "I do not think he will train with the squad as soon as he does, though. We will see once he gets here.

"I do not know if Neymar will be in Amiens with us to watch the match. He will need time to be ready.

"We want him to be with us, so when he is ready, he will be back in the squad."

Neymar recently said he expects to be given the green light to return to action on May 17, possibly in time for PSG's final match of the season at Caen, before he starts to prepare for this summer's World Cup in Russia with Brazil.

After Amiens on Friday night, PSG will turn their attention to Tuesday's Coupe de France final against semiprofessional third-tier outfit Les Herbiers at Stade de France.

Emery is not taking victory for granted and insisted that PSG must take the game seriously.

"We are preparing for Les Herbiers with respect," Emery said. "They deserve to be in the final. We will work more on it once we have played Amiens -- this final is important."

Emery added that captain Thiago Silva and Julian Draxler have joined the injured Marco Verratti in being ruled out of the Amiens clash.

"Thiago and Julian both have muscular problems, so will not feature," Emery added. "Marco had his adductor issue operated on earlier, so he is also out."

Emery does have Adrien Rabiot and Lassana Diarra as part of his 19-man squad, as well as Presnel Kimpembe, available to him and Timothy Weah is one again in the squad -- even if he has not featured much lately.

Rabiot and Diarra missed the 2-2 draw at home to Guingamp last Sunday, while Kimpembe played but since suffered a knock, though all three have been passed fit.

Kevin Rimane joins Weah from the youth academy to boost defensive options. There is no room for third-choice goalkeeper Sebastien Cibois, nor midfielder Lorenzo Callegari, while Hatem Ben Arfa has once again been overlooked as his contract approaches its expiration date.

Verratti's season has ended early because of surgery on his adductor tendons.

After last week's 2-2 draw at home to Guingamp, PSG must win their three remaining fixtures to hit the 100-point mark for the first time in the league's history.

After facing Les Herbiers, they finish the season at home to Rennes before travelling to to Caen.

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