Vojvoda on Neymar missing Mirassol, expects midfielder at Copa | OneFootball

Coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda opened up about Neymar’s situation at Santos. The attacking midfielder was absent from the 2-2 draw with Mirassol this Tuesday at Campos Maia, in the fifth round of the Brazilian Championship. The Argentine highlighted that the attacking midfielder is preparing for the World Cup and believes he will be called up by Carlo Ancelotti.

“That’s the relationship between Neymar and the coaching staff. I know the World Cup is coming. But I want Neymar to be well. He is a very important player for all of Brazil. He is preparing himself. He is a decisive player for Santos. He’s important. He will deliver. When I watch him train, I feel something special. There aren’t many players like him. You have to take care of players like this. He will be there,” he said.

Vojvoda regretted not having Neymar available against Mirassol, but emphasized the importance of always having the star in top physical condition. The expectation is that the number 10 will be fully fit for the derby against Corinthians on Sunday.

“I want Neymar, I want him to be in every match. But day to day, I sense when it’s the right moment and when it’s not. We have an important match now. He’s a player I respect, who can make a difference. He has one goal: to help Santos. And for that, he has to be perfect. He has no injury, nothing. He doesn’t feel anything. It’s just load management,” he explained.

“He’s a player who comes from previous years of inactivity. You have to manage his workload. If it were up to me, he’d play more than 90 minutes. He’ll be in good shape against Corinthians. I wanted him here today, he wanted to be here too. The decision was mutual. He talks to me a lot,” he added.

World Cup chance?

The coach of the Brazilian National Team, Carlo Ancelotti, was present at Campos Maia to watch the 2-2 draw between Mirassol and Santos. Rodrigo Caetano, CBF coordinator, was also in the interior of São Paulo.

The duo went to the stadium specifically to observe Neymar, but the Santos attacking midfielder was ultimately not included in the squad for the match. Even so, the number 10 is on the Italian coach’s preliminary list.

The star has not yet played for the National Team under Carlo Ancelotti. His last appearance with the Seleção was in October 2023, when he suffered a serious knee injury.

Current standings

With the result, Santos currently sits in 11th place, with five points. However, the club could still drop in the standings by the end of the round.

Santos’ next match

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