Neymar cut a disheartened figure on the sidelines after he was forced off in just his second game since recovering from a major knee injury.
The Brazillian joined Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal last summer in a deal reportedly worth an eye-watering £130m per season.
However, he managed just five games in all competitions before suffering a season-ending knee injury while on international duty with Brazil last October.
After completing a year-long rehabilitation programme, Neymar made his return last month with a 14-minute cameo appearance against Al-Ain.
However, his second substitute appearance – against Esteghlal FC in the AFC Champions League on Monday – ended in frustrating fashion when the 32-year-old was withdrawn after just 29 minutes.
Neymar appeared to sustain a hamstring injury before signalling that he needed to come off, slamming his shin pads on the ground in frustration as he sat back down on the bench.
Speaking after the game, however, the forward was hopeful that it was nothing major. ‘I’ll do some tests and hopefully, it’s nothing too much,’ he said on Instagram.
‘It’s normal that after one year [out] this happens, the doctors had already warned me, so I have to be careful and play more minutes.’
The forward, who moved to Saudi Arabia from Paris Saint-Germain, has endured a torrid run with injuries in the second half of his career, with various ankle problem blighting the end of his time with the French giants.
Only last month, Neymar was reduced to tears as he opened on on his arduous journey back to full fitness.
‘What I want most in life is to play football,’ he told NR Sports. ‘I have suffered every day I’ve been away from the pitch.
‘This is what hurts me the most. I am focused on the most important people in my life, my family and friends, and football. I have risen every time I have been injured. But I don’t return halfway.’
In Neymar’s absence, it was a hat-trick from former Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic which guided AL-Hilal to a 3-0 win over their Iranian opposition.
Jorge Jesus’ side remain unbeaten in the AFC Champions League and are also top of the Saudi Pro League as they go in search of their seventh league title in the last nine seasons.
