Neymar denounces Brazilian journalist who accuses him of being a "whisky addict"

Neymar has taken legal action against a Brazilian journalist who claims he is " addicted to whiskey , smokes shisha, consumes energy drinks and plays video games until the early hours of the morning". The player's representatives have publicly branded these statements as " reckless, defamatory, libelous and false ".

Journalist Rodolfo Gomes also pointed out that he will not play again this year, even though forecasts pointed to his return in November , and claimed that his alleged nocturnal habits are affecting the rest of the team. According to Gomes, training sessions have been delayed so that the player can attend.

Neymar has been out of action since September 18 , after suffering a grade 2 injury to the rectus femoris muscle in his right leg during a training session with Santos

The Brazilian responded to the accusations on Instagram with a photo of an energy drink accompanied by the message: "Addicted to Red Bull. This one is great" .

Fear of relegation

There are 10 games remaining in the Brazilian league and Santos currently occupy 16th place in the standings with 28 points, just five points above the relegation zone .

Injury Update Neymar