The Brazilian national team doctor has revealed that Neymar is making good progress with a metatarsal injury he picked up against Marseille last month.
The 26-year-old broke a metatarsal during his side's Ligue 1 fixture on February 25, and has since faced a battle to regain fitness ahead of the World Cup this summer.
Rodrigo Lasmar claims that the Paris Saint-Germain winger was distraught with his diagnosis, but is adamant that he will be fit for Russia.
"He became very sad when he found out the seriousness of the injury and learned he needed surgery," Lasmar told L'Equipe.
"On the eve of a competition like the World Cup, it's always a little scary. He became really annoyed in the first moments, but his power of recovery and his mental strength allowed him to overcome that.
"What is certain is that he wants to return as soon as possible. But after the operation, we set a target of six weeks before examining the evolution of his recuperation. From there, we'll do further imaging and detailed reviews that will help us define that return. We have to wait to see how it will be for that so we can detail the next steps and establish the day in which he can return to the field."
Neymar's injury means that he will miss Brazil's international friendlies against Russia and Germany this month.
Matthew Jones
