Neymar returns to Santos XI after two months, a frustrating night | OneFootball

Neymar experienced a night of frustrations in his return to the starting lineup for Santos after a period sidelined due to injury. The number 10 reclaimed his starting spot in the match against Flamengo last Sunday, which ended with a 3-2 defeat for Peixe at the Maracanã.

The star recovered from an injury to his right adductor muscle and made himself available to return against Fortaleza, playing a few minutes against Leão do Pici. He missed the derby against Palmeiras to continue his recovery process and finish the season without further injuries, according to executive Alexandre Mattos.

This situation allowed Neymar to be fit to start the clash against Flamengo, in the 33rd round of the Brazilian Championship, and return to Santos’ starting eleven after almost two months. The last time the attacking midfielder started was on September 14, when he played about 80 minutes in a 1-1 draw against Atlético-MG on the synthetic pitch at Arena MRV.

The number 10 was initially lined up by coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda as a false nine, taking the spot that would have belonged to Lautaro Díaz. The player formed an attacking trio with Guilherme and Barreal.

On the pitch, however, Neymar had a discreet performance. According to Sofascore data, Neymar managed two shots, one on target, and missed a big chance. He made only one key pass and completed 80% of his passes (39/49).

Also according to the statistics platform, the star had 70 actions with the ball in the 85 minutes he was on the field. He completed two of the four dribbles he attempted, suffered two fouls, and lost the ball 19 times. On the other hand, he won five out of ten duels contested.

Neymar’s frustration on his return to the starting lineup

Neymar’s return to the Santos starting lineup, however, ended in frustration. Still on the field, the star was targeted with insults from Flamengo fans at the Maracanã, who shouted: “Hey, Neymar, go f*** yourself” and “Neymar, go f*** yourself, next year you’ll play in Serie B.”

The star also got upset, this time in the first half of the match. At the 35th minute, he was shown a yellow card by referee Sávio Pereira Sampaio. At halftime, he lashed out at the officiating, accusing the referee of an alleged threat and calling him “arrogant”.

Later in the match, Neymar’s irritation was directed at the Santos coaching staff. He was substituted in the 85th minute, replaced by the Argentine Rollheiser, and did not like leaving the field, even kicking a water cup near the bench.

Afterwards, Neymar greeted his teammates on the bench and left to head to the Maracanã locker rooms. The number 10 did not stay with the squad and didn’t even see the team’s two goals in the final stretch of the match. Despite the difficulties, Peixe came within one goal of tying the game.

Neymar’s night at the Maracanã ended in a frustrating way, but those involved in Santos’ daily routine made a point of defending the star. Coach Vojvoda, director Alexandre Mattos, and forward Guilherme downplayed the number 10’s reaction and defended him.

Santos’ position in the standings

With the defeat to Flamengo, Santos remained in the relegation zone of the Brasileirão. Peixe is 17th in the table, with 33 points—two fewer than Vitória, the first team outside the drop zone. In addition, the Alvinegro Praiano has now gone five matches without a win in the tournament.

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