Neymar’s return lifts Santos’ hopes for crucial Brasileirão run-in | OneFootball

Last Sunday, Santos gained an important reinforcement for this decisive stretch of the Brazilian Championship. Neymar returned to the pitch in the 1-1 draw against Fortaleza after recovering from a right thigh rectus femoris muscle injury.

Neymar’s return made a good impression and renewed Peixe’s hopes for the final rounds of the Brasileirão, which will be decisive for the team’s future in the top tier of the tournament. The Alvinegro Praiano is fighting against relegation and has not yet managed to distance itself from the Z4.

The number 10 was brought on by coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda in the 22nd minute of the second half, replacing Victor Hugo. The star’s entrance gave the team new energy, and they managed to equalize in the 29th minute in a play Neymar was directly involved in, providing a pass to Adonis Frías. The defender crossed, and the ball was deflected, lobbing over goalkeeper Brenno.

Neymar celebrates Santos’ equalizer with Adonis Frías, the player who made the cross that led to the goal (Photos: Raul Baretta/ Santos FC)

Neymar’s return drew attention for the star’s positive performance, even without match fitness. The Santos number 10 had two shots on goal and made three key passes. He completed one of three crosses and finished 85% of his attempted passes. The numbers are from Sofascore.

According to the statistics, the star had 45 actions with the ball and succeeded in two out of four dribbles attempted, while also being fouled four times. Defensively, he made one tackle and one ball recovery.

Santos’ Numbers With and Without Neymar

Since February 6, when Neymar played his first match for Santos, Peixe has played 40 matches. Of these, the star was available for 22. With him on the field, the team recorded nine wins, seven draws, and suffered six defeats, totaling a success rate of 51.5%.

Without the star, this number drops considerably for Alvinegro Praiano. Neymar missed 18 games this season, of which nine were losses, six were draws, and only three were wins. This represents a success rate of 27.7%.

Will Neymar Play Against Palmeiras?

Neymar’s presence in the derby against Palmeiras, scheduled for this Thursday, is still uncertain. Physically, the star is recovered. However, the synthetic pitch at Allianz Parque, which will host the 32nd round match, works against the number 10’s participation for Peixe.

The attacking midfielder has already spoken out against synthetic turf, and Santos is also cautious about the different surface to avoid another injury to the player, who has just recovered from his third injury this year alone. Vojvoda did not confirm the star’s presence in the derby, but stated that the star always puts Peixe first.

“What I feel is that Neymar always puts Santos above himself. If anyone thinks he thinks more about himself than Santos… no. This kind of player absorbs all the pressure. He is suffering because of Santos’ current situation, he will think of Santos before himself. In my conversation with him, he made this clear to me. While I, as coach, also have to make decisions with a cool and logical head. I want Neymar here until the end of the year, and I want him well in every game. We know it’s a synthetic pitch, but I’ll talk to him. And whether he plays or not against Palmeiras, let’s not think Neymar only thinks about himself. Neymar thinks about Santos,” said the coach.

“Do you think he doesn’t feel this jersey? He feels it more than anyone. He won everything here. And now he has this responsibility. But we also have to put ourselves in his shoes. We’ll make the decision with a cool head. I want Neymar better and better. This is a conversation with him, his staff, with the club, and we’ll make the best decision when we’re calm. I’m the coach and we have to make the best decisions for Santos. And if we make the best decision for Neymar, it will also be the best decision for Santos,” he added.

See more: Neymar in the derby? See what Vojvoda thinks about the number 10’s presence in Palmeiras vs Santos

Santos’ Position in the Table

With the point earned against Fortaleza, Santos is in 16th place, with 33 points. Peixe could have opened up a four-point lead over the relegation zone, but missed the opportunity. Now, the Santos team is just two points ahead of Vitória, who are at the top of the Z4.

Upcoming Santos Matches

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