Cuca reveals Neymar conversation and explains the No 10’s condition | OneFootball

Cuca said he had spoken with Neymar and explained why the Santos No 10 missed his re-debut, the 0-0 at Cruzeiro in the Brasileirão’s eighth round. According to Diario Do Peixe, he sat out for load management to reduce injury risk.

Cuca noted it would have been the player’s third match in seven days. With high temperatures and a combative game likely, he chose caution and said others will also be rested at times. He added there will be 19 fixtures before May’s call-up across the Brasileirão, Copa do Brasil and Sul-Americana.

Neymar is hopeful of a World Cup call-up from Carlo Ancelotti, with the squad due on 18 May. Meanwhile he is using CT Rei Pelé’s facilities, including a hyperbaric chamber, for recovery. He is set to have around 12 Santos games to impress before then.

This year he has played five matches for Santos and missed Ancelotti’s latest squad for this month’s friendlies. He returned after an arthroscopy on 22 December. In the Paulista he came on at half-time in the big win over Velo Clube, then started the defeat to Novorizontino at the Jorjão that ended their semi-final run.

In the Brasileirão he started and scored twice against Vasco at Vila Belmiro, then started versus Corinthians and Internacional, also at Vila. Inside Santos there is a plan to manage him with a possible World Cup call-up in mind. Since his return, Gabigol has two assists and seven goals in 12 games.

Source: Diario Do Peixe