Neymar Absent as FC Barcelona Prepare For Club World Cup
FC Barcelona star Neymar suffered a groin injury in Germany last week during a training session for UEFA Champions League match with Bayer Leverkusen, which ended 1-1.
Brazilian ace Neymar was missing from training on Monday, as European champions FC Barcelona started their preparations for the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan. (Paulinho Earns Guangzhou Evergrande Dream Barcelona Tie)
The influential Brazilian forward suffered a groin injury in Germany last week during a training session for the Champions League match with Bayer Leverkusen, which ended 1-1. (UEFA Champions League: Lionel Messi Scores But Barcelona Held By Bayer Leverkusen)
He is highly doubtful for Barcelona's semifinal showdown with China's Guangzhou Evergrande on Thursday. (F.C. Barcelona Draw Arsenal in UEFA Champions League last 16)
Barcelona were greeted by 226 children from their football school in Tokyo when stepping on to the pitch at the Mitsuzawa Stadium in Yokohama.
The children then sang the club's anthem, "El Cant del Barca," as the players looked on.
Barcelona, who are bidding for a third Club World Cup title, are the tournament favorite but the Spanish club has not won in three matches, while Guangzhou are on a 28-match unbeaten run stretching back to May, shortly before World Cup-winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari took charge.
Guangzhou - who beat Club America of Mexico 2-1 in the previous round - won the Asian Champions League title last month.
"It's been a long trip," Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets said.
"We've tried to adapt to the time difference. Regarding the tournament, we are trying to deal with it in high spirits since it's a tournament that is hard to win, because of the teams taking part in it."
Barcelona remained top of the Spanish league, above Atletico Madrid on goal difference only. Real Madrid are five points below their fierce rivals after Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Villarreal.
"We are here preparing for the Club World Cup and the only thing that is important right now is Guangzhou," Busquets added.
"Guangzhou has Brazilian players and has Scolari as manager, and have been unbeaten for quite a while. We just have to try to be better than them and to beat them."
Barcelona won the Club World Cup in 2009 and 2011.