by Agency Staff, 八月 05 2013, 09:52
TOUCH OF FAITH: Barcelona’s Neymar touches the stones of the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City on Sunday. The Spanish league champions are making a brief stopover in Israel and the Palestinian territories en route to a preseason tour of Asia. Picture: REUTERS
BARCELONA — Barcelona says Brazil striker Neymar has developed anaemia, but that it will not stop his preseason training with the Spanish champions.
Anaemia is a lower than normal count of red blood cells that provokes tiredness or weakness.
Barcelona said that "due to an operation on his tonsils this summer the player is suffering a case of anaemia that is being treated and won’t impede him from (normal) training with the rest of his team-mates". The club did not specify what treatment Neymar was following.
Barcelona opens the Spanish league against Levante on August 18. The 21-year-old Neymar joined Barcelona from Brazilian club Santos this off-season.
The Spanish soccer giants, meanwhile, received a warm welcome from Israel’s political leaders. The team’s players met President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Sunday as part of their two-day Mideast Peace Tour. Peres said the team’s visit was a dream come true for Israeli children. Before the meeting, the players visited the Western Wall, a Jewish holy site.
Stars such as Lionel Messi and midfielder Cesc Fabregas were snapped wearing yarmulkes, the traditional Jewish skullcap.
On Saturday, Barcelona visited the West Bank, where players met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and toured holy sites in Bethlehem. The team later held a soccer clinic for local children.
Barcelona were due to play a goodwill game with local Israeli children in Tel Aviv on Sunday.