Can Brazil cope without Neymar?

How much will Brazil miss Neymar in the semifinal clash against Germany? The star striker who has been center stage during the World Cup has been forced to sit on the sidelines following a back injury sustained against Colombia last Friday.

$Neymar fractured a vertebra during his side's 2-1 quarterfinal win in Fortaleza. The 22-year-old talisman had scored four goals in five matches. Will Brazil have enough firepower without their 22-year-old talisman?$ Neymar fractured a vertebra during his side's 2-1 quarterfinal win in Fortaleza. The 22-year-old talisman had scored four goals in five matches. Will Brazil have enough firepower without their 22-year-old talisman?

Belo Horizonte was the scene of Brazil's dramatic penalty shootout win over Chile in the last 16. Will Julio Cesar (pictured) be able to repel the German threat in Tuesday's semifinal?

Luiz Felipe Scolari is looking to repeat his success leading Brazil to World Cup glory in 2002.

Joachim Low has steered Germany to a fourth consecutive World Cup semifinal. The 54-year-old coach succeeded Jurgen Klinsmann following the 2006 finals hosted by the Germans.

Thomas Muller is still only 24 years old but has already scored 21 times in 54 appearances for Germany. He was the winner of the Golden Boot in South Africa in 2010 and has scored four in five matches in Brazil.

Hosts Brazil face Germany in World Cup semifinal on Tuesday
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Germany come into match following 1-0 over France in quarterfinals
Mexican referee who missed Luis Suarez bite earlier in tournament to officiate match

(CNN) -- Four days after Neymar was kneed in the back, Brazil face the real possibility of being booted out of their own World Cup when they take on Germany in the semifinal at Belo Horizonte on Tuesday.

The hosts will have to manage without their star striker after he sustained a fractured vertebra in the 2-1 quarterfinal win over Colombia in Fortaleza.

It's not just in attack that Brazil have problems -- captain and key defender Thiago Silva is suspended after picking up his second yellow card of the tournament in the same match.

Neymar's injury is a huge blow to the hosts who, under coach Luiz Felipe Scolari are looking to reach the final for the first time in 12 years in their hunt for a sixth world crown.

Wild celebrations following Friday's win became more muted when news filtered through that Neymar -- scorer of four goals in five matches in Brazil's campaign --would play no further part in the tournament.

"It's like we have lost today," a female Brazilian fan in Rio de Janeiro told CNN after hearing of the seriousness of Neymar's injury.

"It's terrible, terrible. I'm so sad. But let's go on."

Sympathy also came flooding in from fans and arch rivals -- old and new.

"It concerns not only the Brazilian people but all of us who love football," Argentine legend Diego Maradona told the Venezuela-based Telesur TV network.

"It was his World Cup, in his country. He had great hopes."

The Albicelestes current playmaker Lionel Messi also responded, posting a message for his Barcelona teammate on his Facebook page.

"Neymar, I hope you recover very soon, friend!" Messi wrote while German midfielder Mesut Ozil tweeted: "Neymar, I am unhappy. get well soon."

Neymar, i am unhappy. get well soon.
â€" Mesut Ã–zil (@MesutOzil1088) July 5, 2014

Such is the fevered speculation surrounding Neymar there were even suggestions the Barcelona star could play if he had painkilling injections or underwent emergency surgery.

That speculation was quickly put to rest by the Brazilian Football Association Monday who said such treatment would not happen as it would would endanger Neymar's future career.

Dreams of a miraculous return were perhaps fueled by Brazil's obvious reliance on their stricken star.

The 22-year-old talisman has scored 35 goals in 54 international appearances -- three more than the combined totals of the squad's other forwards -- Fred, Hulk and Jo -- have managed in total in matches for the Selecao.