This archive report was first published on 17 August 2019.
Paris St Germain's Brazilian star Neymar has been left out of the team for the second week in a row, according to coach Thomas Tuchel, who spoke on Saturday.
On the eve of Sunday's league match against Rennes, Tuchel revealed that Neymar would not be part of the team, citing the forward's ongoing fitness issues.
Despite his absence, Tuchel emphasized that Neymar remains one of PSG's most important players, saying, 'If I think of a strong PSG team, I think of a team with 'Ney' in it.'
Neymar joined PSG from Barcelona in 2017 in a record-breaking deal worth 222 million euros ($246 million), but injuries have limited his appearances in key Champions League matches.
Speculation about Neymar's future at PSG has been ongoing, with media reports linking him to a potential transfer to Barcelona or Real Madrid.