Neymar completes full match, reigniting Santos hopes for Brasileirão run-in | OneFootball

Santos' victory over Palmeiras by 1-0, last Saturday at Vila Belmiro, marked an important moment for Neymar: for the first time in almost three months, the number 10 completed an entire match.

The last time he stayed on the field for the full 90 minutes was on August 31, against Fluminense. After that, he played for 81 minutes against Atlético-MG before suffering a rectus femoris muscle injury in his right thigh. Upon his return against Fortaleza, he entered in the 22nd minute of the second half. Against Flamengo, he remained on the field for 85 minutes before being substituted.

More than just the playing time, Neymar delivered his best performance for Santos in the last seven matches, according to SofaScore data. Even without scoring, the star had an intense offensive participation: he took two shots, one on target, and created plenty for his teammates, with five key passes and four crosses, one of them accurate.

Decisive Stretch

With the triumph in the classic, Santos climbed to the 16th position, pushing Vitória into the relegation zone. The team reached 36 points, one more than Leão.

Santos' sequence in the Brasileirão includes decisive matches. First, they face Mirassol, the sensation of the championship and currently in fourth place. Next, they will have a direct confrontation at the bottom of the table against Internacional at Beira-Rio. The team also faces the already relegated Sport at home, visits Juventude, who are also fighting against relegation, and ends the championship against Cruzeiro at Vila Belmiro.

The possible return of Neymar to full physical condition renews the hopes of Santos fans for the final stretch. In 2025, the number 10 has played 24 matches for the club, with six goals and three assists.

Next Match

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