Cuca confirms Neymar for Chapecoense and explains Venezuela absence | OneFootball

Cuca has confirmed Neymar will return for Santos against Chapecoense at Vila Belmiro on Saturday 25 in the 20th round of the Campeonato Brasileiro.

According to Diario Do Peixe, he sat out the journey to Venezuela, where Santos beat Universidad Central 4-1 in the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana play-offs.

After the match, Cuca said leaving Neymar in Brazil was part of the staff's plan. The number 10 worked on strength at CT Rei Pelé to be in better condition for a busy spell.

He noted the forward had paused for a few days and had no holiday, so they preferred heavy training to build rhythm. With four matches in 10 days and a taxing trip, the coach felt there was little advantage in taking him to Venezuela.

Neymar rejoined Santos last Friday after Brazil duty at the World Cup and has followed a tailored programme. He trained with the ball at CT Rei Pelé during the week and was among the standouts in the sessions.

Asked when he would return, Cuca confirmed he is in for Saturday against Chapecoense.

Willian Arão, João Schmidt and Igor Vinícius also stayed in Brazil for recovery and conditioning, increasing the manager's options for the coming fixtures.

Source: Diario Do Peixe