Luan Peres unsure on Neymar return, stresses his value at Santos | OneFootball

Defender Luan Peres avoided setting a date for Neymar's return to the field but reiterated the importance of the star for the decisive sequence that Santos faces in this final stretch of the season. The Peixe is still fighting against relegation and seeks to distance itself from this danger in the upcoming games.

Santos announced an injury to Neymar's right thigh rectus femoris muscle on September 19. Since then, the star has been doing physical work, both with the club's medical department and his personal physiotherapy team.

The star is gradually advancing in the recovery process. This Friday, for example, he ran around the field but has not yet started the physical transition process. Luan Peres, therefore, avoided giving a date for the return of the number 10 but joked that he wanted him to return against Botafogo this Sunday.

“The worst part is that we learn more from the press than anything else. I saw on some sites that they said he would return against Flamengo. Before, they said it would be for the game against Fortaleza, now they say against Flamengo. I wanted him to return already against Botafogo. He is our best player, a star in Brazil, and needs no comments, I don't even need to talk about it,” said Luan Peres.

(Photo: Raul Baretta/ Santos FC)

“He is in this rehabilitation process to return to the field, he has been training in the gym for some time, training well with his medical and physical preparation team. If he is already coming to the field to run, it is because the return is getting close to happening,” completed the defender.

Neymar has not played for Santos since September 14, when he started and played 81 minutes in a 1-1 draw against Atlético-MG, in the 23rd round of the Brazilian Championship.

In the current season, the number 10 has struggled to string together a great sequence of matches due to some physical problems. Peixe has not disclosed the recovery timeline for the star, but the expectation is that he could return to the field at the beginning of November.

Neymar is Santos' main hope in this final stretch of the season. The Alvinegro Praiano is still fighting against relegation and hopes to count on the star's help on the field to avoid the drop. In 2025, he has scored six goals and provided three assists in 21 games.

Neymar's Numbers for Santos This Season

Santos' Position in the Table

Santos is in the 16th position, with 31 points—the same amount as Vitória, which opens the relegation zone. Despite having one less game, Peixe will not have an easy life and will need to accumulate points in the final stretch of the Brasileirão to avoid falling for the second time.

Santos' Upcoming Games

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.