Brazil have reportedly been dealt a major blow in their Copa America preparations after being told that Barcelona ace Neymar will not be granted permission to play in the tournament.
The Catalan giants are said to have sent a letter to the Brazilian FA informing them that the 24-year-old forward will instead only be sanctioned to feature in the Olympic Games later in the year.
Brazil had hoped to have their star man available for both tournaments, but Barca are unhappy about the prospect of Neymar playing non-stop football following a gruelling season for his club side.
Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu admitted publicly last week that finding a solution would be close to "impossible", but Spanish publication Marca later reported that Neymar was instead hopeful of featuring from the quarter-final stage onwards.
This year's Copa America, to be held in the United States, is a one-off special marking the centenary edition of the famous competition.
Daniel Lewis
