Why Neymar will be absent from Unai Emery’s Paris Saint-Germain squad for Sunday’s trip to Nantes

Neymar will be absent from Unai Emery’s Paris Saint-Germain squad for Sunday’s trip to Nantes as he receives treatment on an issue with his ribs.

ESPN reported on Saturday that the Brazilian forward, alongside captain Thiago Silva, was absent from PSG training on Friday and will receive treatment on costal cartilage pain – an issue involved with the rib cage – while PSG face Nantes.

Neymar scored from the penalty spot in Wednesday's 2-0 French Cup quarter-final victory over Amiens, taking his tally for the season to 21 goals in all competitions.

It will be the fifth league game he has missed this season, with three of those absences due to injury.

PSG will be looking to keep Neymar injury free for the coming period with their Champions League last 16 tie with Real Madrid just one month away.

Meanwhile, the Ligue 1 leaders are looking to extend their advantage at the top of the table to 11 points after Monaco dropped two points at Montpellier on Saturday.

Emery will be glad to have Neymar covered though, with the return of Edinson Cavani welcomed by the PSG boss.

Thiago Motta will also be absent from Sunday’s game through injury, with Lucas Moura, who has been linked with a move away from the French capital, being drafted in.

Hatem Ben Arfa and Javier Pastore both remain outcasts of Emery’s squad, with their PSG futures looking bleak.