Brazil's Neymar to return from injury against Croatia

LONDON: Neymar will make his first appearance for over three months on Sunday as Brazil boss Tite confirmed the Paris Saint-Germain striker will play in the second half of his country's friendly against Croatia.

Neymar suffered a fractured foot while playing for PSG against Marseille in Ligue 1 on February 25.

The 26-year-old had surgery in Brazil amid fears he wouldn't be fit for the World Cup.

But Neymar recovered well enough to be included in the Selecao squad for the tournament, which gets underway in Russia on June 14.

Facing a race to be fit for Brazil's World Cup opener against Switzerland on June 17, Neymar will get a chance to use Sunday's clash at Anfield to show he is ready to lead the five-time world champions in Russia.

"Neymar? He'll start on the bench because he's still recovering, and will come on at half-time because we're preparing as a team," Tite told reporters at a press conference on Saturday.

"I don't know yet who'll come off for him, he has to be our star player but the others have to shine as well."

Neymar scored 28 goals in 30 appearances in all competitions for PSG in an impressive first season in France following his blockbuster move from Barcelona.

Brazil face Austria in their final pre-World Cup friendly on June 10 before taking on Switzerland, Costa Rica and Serbia in Group E in Russia.