Philippe Coutinho says Brazil has a lot of special players in their squad to step up to the plate if Neymar is not at his best.
Brazil drew 1-1 against Switzerland in their first match at the 2018 World Cup and will be under pressure to grind results for their second game against Costa Rica on Friday.
Neymar is currently struggling with pain in his right ankle and missed Brazil’s outdoor training session on Monday.
However, Coutinho believes the Selecao have enough quality in their squad to do the job if their star man is not at his best.
The Brazil camp has since confirmed that Neymar was feeling pain after several fouls committed against him in the opening match against the Swiss and is racing against time to be fit for the match with Costa Rica.
Coutinho told a press conference: “We have a lot of great players in the national team and each one of them has his own responsibility.
“If everyone does his job, then the team grows and plays well. We can have one player being the protagonist in one game, then another in the next one, but the most important thing is the group.
“Neymar is one of the best players in the world and it’s a great plus to have him in the team.
“When he is on the field he helps us a lot. He is a very important player for us.”