Marcelo Teixeira responds to Neymar and defends Santos decision on João Basso exit | OneFootball

Santos president Marcelo Teixeira has addressed the reaction to João Basso’s departure and Neymar’s public remarks, stressing that club calls are made on professional grounds.

"Ask Neymar what he meant. The club's decisions are professional decisions. I think he spoke from emotion and friendship with Basso. We respect that, but the decisions are professional," he told Globo Esporte.

In recent days, Neymar used social media to bid farewell to the defender, expressing sadness at the manner of the exit. He wished Basso luck, described him as highly professional and said he deserved more respect, adding that he would always support him.

The pair’s closeness had grown since Neymar returned to Santos, with frequent meetings and trips together. Basso even visited the forward’s home in Mangaratiba, Rio de Janeiro.

The board weighed that relationship before finalising a contract termination. Even so, the club invited Basso in for talks and chose to end the deal early, as he was not in Juan Pablo Vojvoda’s plans for the remainder of the season.

Source: Diario Do Peixe