Santos in February: off-pitch woes, ups and downs, Neymar returns | OneFootball

The month of February, marked by the return of Neymar, transfer ban, protests, and elimination, has come to an end for Santos. Despite having more wins than losses during this period, Peixe went through turbulent moments over these 28 days.

End of the line in the Paulistão

The Santos team started the month in a delicate situation in the Campeonato Paulista: outside the G8 and close to the relegation zone. Despite this, Peixe beat Noroeste away from home 2-1 and thrashed Velo Clube at home 6-0, results that secured the Baixada Santista team a spot in the next phase of the tournament.

However, with a goal conceded in the final moments, Peixe was defeated 2-1 by Novorizontino, away from home, and said goodbye to the Paulistão.

Neymar’s return

One of the few good pieces of news for Santos fans last month was Neymar’s return to the pitch. During the last vacation, the star announced he would undergo arthroscopy on his left knee, which would keep him out at the start of this season. In the rout against Velo Clube, Ney returned to the field and provided the assist for the fifth goal in the 6-0 victory.

The number 10 for Santos was decisive in the 2-1 win over Vasco in the Brasileirão, the team’s first victory in the competition. On that occasion, Neymar scored both goals for the Vila Belmiro team.

Signings and transfer ban

During February, Peixe suffered a transfer ban from FIFA due to a debt owed to Arouca, from Portugal. The Baixada Santista team owed 2.67 million euros (about R$16.1 million) to the Portuguese club, related to the transfer of defender João Basso. The sanction was applied on the 19th of last month and was settled on Friday (27th).

Despite this obstacle, Santos secured the signing of two reinforcements last month: forward Moisés and midfielder Christian Oliva, who was announced this Saturday.

Protests

The political situation at Santos remains delicate. In the early hours of last Thursday, before the match against Vasco, fans held protests at different points in the Baixada Santista.

Most of the criticism was directed at president Marcelo Teixeira. The leader was the target of demands from fans, who claim failures in signings, lack of protagonism, and absence of contention for titles.

Some banners made the tone of the protest explicit: “Sign now or leave Santos,” “I want a team to be champion,” and “Marcelo Teixeira, enough with the omission, Santos is not your backyard.”

Next Santos match

Match: Mirassol vs Santos

Competition: Campeonato Brasileiro – 5th round

Time: 9:30 PM (Brasília time)

Venue: Estádio José Maria de Campos Maia

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