Dunga and the CBF expect Barcelona forward and national captain Neymar to do everything in his power to play for his country in both the Copa América and the Olympic games this summer. The Copa América will take place in the USA through June and July, with the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro at the beginning of August.
Barcelona are likely to resist any such eventuality, which would deny the player any sort of rest in the domestic off season and would also see him miss the beginning of the La Liga campaign. The Olympics is an U-23 event, with nations allowed to select three players over the age of 23.
Having never won an Olympic gold and with the tournament taking place on home soil, Brazil are keen to make Neymar part of their over 23 allocation. Barcelona are resigned to losing him for the Olympics, as they did when Lionel Messi represented Argentina at the 2008 games in Beijing. Luis Enrique represented Spain in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and is likely to be sympathetic to Neymar’s desire to play in an Olympic games on home soil.
However, they are likely to be less receptive to their forward playing in the Centenary Copa América as well, especially as the tournament also took place last year. Dunga met with Luis Enrique to discuss the release of Neymar and Rafinha, with talks and a final decision planned in late April or early May.
Brazil can insist on Neymar’s participation in the Copa América as it is a FIFA tournament, but don’t have this power for the Olympics, so there is negotiation left to undertake. Given the choice, Brazil would probably prefer to take him to the Olympics and Barcelona would expect him to be spared the Copa as a gesture of good will.
Dunga has reportedly offered to allow Neymar to join Barcelona for their pre-season preparations, satisfied that this would provide ample preparation for the Olympics, which begin in early August.
