Two of the most recognizable and talented stars in the game of soccer will undergo oral surgery before the start of the 2013-2014 preseason.
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Following strong campaigns with their respective National teams at the recent Confederations Cup, Barcelona stars Neymar and Jordi Alba will be admitted for tonsil surgery. The teammates are set to have their operations performed on Friday, July 5.
Neymar, a 21-year-old rising talent, led Brazil to a third-straight FIFA Confederations Cup title this past weekend, defeating Spain and teammate Jordi Alba in the championship match 3-0. Notching his fourth goal of the tournament in the title victory, Neymar said his throat was bothering him but that the pain wasn't substantial enough to warrant an earlier procedure because it was not a serious issue.
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"It's a problem that I have, my throat always bothers me," he told ESPN reporters. "So we're going to operate to resolve it once and for all."
In addition to feeling the need to go for the surgery now that the Confederations Cup has come to an end and since Brazil has a spot in the 2014 World Cup as host nation, NDTV Sports reports that Neymar's surgery will be monitored by a member of Barcelona's medical staff.
"Neymar will undergo his surgery in Rio de Janeiro and a member of FC Barcelona's medical services will be present."
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Recently signing a €57 million deal with Barcelona after spending the previous 5 years with Santos, the superstar forward showed the ability to perform on the big stage at the 2013 CONFED Cup held in his home country of Brazil. Scoring in 4 of Brazil's 5 tournament victories -- including in the 44th-minute of Brazil's championship win -- Neymar gave fans a glimpse into what the future in Barcelona holds since the youngster and superstar Lionel Messi will be sharing the pitch next season.
While Neymar gets set to undergo the minimal procedure, teammate and CONFED Cup championship opponent Jordi Alba prepares for the same surgery. The 24-year-old defender was a crucial part of Spain advancing to the tournament championship, as the Spanish national defensive unit surrendered only 4 goals in 5 contests, including 3 to Brazil in the tournament championship.
Though the recovery time for this type of surgery is between 10-14 days, both Neymar and Jordi Alba should be healthy enough to participate in Barca's preseason friendly on July 20. The club is set to battle Polish opponents Lechia Gdansk.
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