Memphis jokes with Neymar before Corinthians v Bahia at Vila Belmiro | OneFootball

Long-time friends Memphis Depay and Neymar swapped light-hearted social media posts on Wednesday ahead of Corinthians v Bahia at Vila Belmiro in Santos, the opening round of the Campeonato Brasileiro.

According to Globo.com, Neymar shared an image of the Dutch forward’s shirt placed in his spot in the Santos dressing room, noting they would be rivals only on the pitch.

Memphis replied in jest, praised Neymar’s dressing-room space at Vila Belmiro and said there was a place for him at Corinthians, signing off with a Timão rallying cry.

The Netherlands international is set to start for Corinthians for the first time this season. He missed the club’s early 2026 fixtures while treating pain in his left knee.

Memphis and Neymar have never been team-mates in European football, but their rapport stems from meetings in France when they represented Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain.

The match was originally scheduled for Thursday 29 January at 20:30 at Neo Química Arena, but was moved to Vila Belmiro and brought forward to Wednesday 28. The change gives Corinthians more recovery time before facing Flamengo in the Supercopa do Brasil at Mané Garrincha in Brasília on one February, and São Paulo also host Flamengo at Morumbis on Wednesday.

Source: Globo.com