Paris Saint-Germain coach Unai Emery insists that no decision has been made over whether Neymar will have a foot operation amid reports that the Brazil international could miss three months.
Neymar suffered a crack in the fifth metatarsal of his right foot and sprained his ankle during PSG's 3-0 win over Marseille on Sunday, and sources told ESPN FC the player has already rejected the idea of using painkillers if they would be required for him to play in next week's crucial Champions League clash against Real Madrid.
Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte reported that Neymar would undergo surgery and need three months to recover, meaning he would return to first-team action in May, only one month before the World Cup begins.
However, Emery told a news conference on Tuesday that nothing has been decided regarding surgery, and he even expressed hope that the forward would be fit for the second leg of the round-of-16 tie against Real Madrid on March 6.
"It is false," Emery said of the reports that Neymar is to undergo surgery. "No decision to operate has been taken.
"I have met with the doctor, and he told me that the sprain was swollen. His fifth metatarsal has a crack in it. We will take a decision in the coming days. However, for the moment, calm is needed."
Sources close to both the player and PSG said Neymar does not want to play with painkillers because he feels the method would increase the risk of the injury becoming more serious than it already is.
Neymar is desperate to play against Madrid if at all possible, the sources added, but he understands that he might not be able to do so and he is not prepared to risk the rest of the season with PSG and the World Cup with Brazil in order to play with the aid of injections next week.
The sources also said that those closest to Neymar are keen for him to undergo surgery as soon as possible, if it is ultimately unavoidable, to ensure that he does not jeopardise his World Cup, which begins for Brazil on June 17.
PSG, though, want to wait and see if reduced swelling makes surgery avoidable, which is why Emery called for calm during his news conference.
Emery acknowledged that tests since Neymar was injured in the Ligue 1 win over Marseille have reduced his chances of featuring against Real, but he said there is still hope.
"It is true that, today, the chances of Neymar being ready [to face Real Madrid] are smaller than they were last Sunday [after the Marseille game]," he said. "He is always the first one to want to play in every match.
"I am patient. There is a small possibility that he will be ready to face Real. We are going to wait.
"Neymar is a very important player for us, but we have other players capable of stepping in."
Emery conceded that surgery might be necessary, but he stressed that it is not a foregone conclusion.
"The club released a statement last night with some medical details," he said. "Things like this are not decided just like that [snaps fingers].
"We need to speak with the player, the doctor and the player's entourage. To decide something important like this, patience and calm are required.
"There is a lot of speculation swirling around, but the truth is what I have just said, and that is based on what the doctor told me this morning."
Meanwhile, the doctor for the Brazil national teams, Rodrigo Lasmar, confirmed on Tuesday that he is en route to Paris to meet with Neymar and PSG team doctors.
"At this moment, what we know is that he has a sprained ankle and a type of fracture in his foot," Lasmar told SporTV. "We will be doing complementary examinations to evaluate the status of the player. We have to remain calm at this moment."
Brazil on Tuesday delayed the announcement of their squad for upcoming friendlies, and national teams coordinator Edu Gaspar told AS that there was no conflict between the Brazil federation and PSG over Neymar's treatment, saying: "We always uphold the decisions made by the clubs."