What lies behind Neymar’s rebuke? Santos falter at home and tension grows at Vila Belmiro | OneFootball

Neymar has publicly challenged Santos supporters at Vila Belmiro after boos in the win over Macará, highlighting a home form dip compared to his first spell.

According to Globo.com, the No 10 criticised jeers on Thursday night and urged backing during games, saying he misses the old intimidating atmosphere and accepts protests only after the final whistle.

In his first stint at the ground he collected close to 70% of points in 95 matches, with 58 wins and 15 defeats. Then wearing 11, he also won the 2011 Campeonato Paulista there.

The current return has yielded 56.2% of points, with 22 wins and 11 defeats in 48 home games, already nearing his previous loss tally.

From 2009 to 2013 he managed 102 direct goal involvements in 95 Santos appearances, including 62 goals. Now he has 19 involvements and 12 goals in 48, roughly one involvement every 208 minutes.

Crowds rose with his return and a revamp backed by NR Sports, averaging above 13,000 last year, especially in 2025. This season dipped, with just over 6,000 against Bragantino and a high above 15,000 versus Corinthians in the league.

Flashpoints are not new, he rowed with a fan after a 2-1 loss to Internacional last July, then again after April’s Sudamericana draw with Recoleta.

Neymar says he understands frustration but wants stronger in-game support to restore Vila Belmiro’s edge. He hopes the run-in can still mirror the success of his first spell.

Source: Globo.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”