Neymar ‘very happy’ as he joins Brazil’s Copa America preparations days after scoring in Champions League final
- Neymar joins up with Brazil squad ahead of Copa America tournament
- Brazilian scored in Champions League final two days before arriving
- He told manager Dunga he was ‘very happy’ to join his team-mates
- Tournament starts in Chile as hosts take on Ecuador on Friday, June 12
- Brazil’s campaign starts with Peru test on Sunday, June 14
Champions League hero Neymar is in no rush to take any time off after linking up with Brazil team-mates ahead of the Copa America in Chile.
Just two days after scoring the third goal in Barcelona’s 3-1 victory over Juventus, team-mates and manager Dunga welcomed their talisman.
And when questioned on his condition, he said: ‘Coach, I am very happy.’
The mood in the camp appears to be a happy one too. The 22-year-old uploaded a picture of himself and Lazio’s Felipe Anderson to his Instagram page. He was also snapped with Robinho.
Neymar (right) poses with Brazilian team-mate and Lazio playmaker Felipe Anderson at Brazil’s training camp
Robinho (right) and Anderson (left) were on hand to greet the Champions League winner when he arrived
Neymar celebrates scoring Barcelona’s third goal in their 3-1 win over Juventus in the Champions League final
Neymar and his team-mates are currently at a training camp outside Porto Allegre, preparing for a friendly with Honduras on Thursday.
Their tournament gets underway when they take on Peru in Group C – which also includes Colombia and Venezuela – three days later. Brazil are second favourites behind Argentina to lift the cup.
The Copa America gives them a chance to lay some demons to rest after last summer’s emphatic exit from their home World Cup.
Recently-appointed captain Neymar missed the crushing 7-1 defeat by Germany in Belo Horizonte – after he was injured against Colombia in the quarters – but is set for a key role as Brazil go in search of their ninth Copa America title.
Neymar injured his back and was carried off as Brazil beat Colombia in the quarter-finals of World Cup 2014
Without their talisman in the semis Brazil were thumped 7-1 by a rampant German side. It was all too much for David Luiz (left) to take and he was consoled by Thiago Silva, who also missed the hammering
Neymar was given the captain’s armband in September 2014 after taking over the duties from defender Thiago Silva.
Dunga, however, has said that he expects all of his players to be leaders on the pitch.