Neymar targets Flamengo repeat to lift Santos from drop zone | OneFootball

Santos will have a crucial reinforcement for the tough match against Flamengo, scheduled for this Sunday. Neymar is back on the roster after being rested for the classic against Palmeiras and returns with the mission to help lift Peixe out of the Z4 in the Brazilian Championship.

The number 10 joined the rest of the squad this Saturday and participated in the team's only training session. The star has a chance to start the match against Flamengo as a starter and aims to replicate the feat of the first round when he showed his decision-making power and secured the victory for Santos.

On that occasion, Santos hosted Flamengo at Vila Belmiro in a match valid for the 14th round of Serie A. Coincidentally, the star also returned to the starting lineup against Flamengo after missing a match – at that time, however, Neymar was absent due to suspension in the previous game.

Neymar celebrating a goal against Flamengo in the first round (Photo: Raul Baretta/ Santos FC)

In the first round, Neymar started in Peixe's initial 11 and shone, having one of his best performances since returning to the club. According to Sofascore data, he had two shots on target, made three key passes, suffered five fouls, and completed 85% of his attempted passes.

But Neymar's performance went far beyond the numbers, especially due to the great result achieved by Santos. When the match seemed to be heading for a draw, the number 10 received the ball inside the area, turned past the defender, evaded another defender, and hit the back of Flamengo's net, securing a 1-0 victory for Santos.

Neymar now has the mission to repeat the great display of the first round to lift Peixe from the uncomfortable situation they face in the Brasileirão. The Alvinegro Praiano needs not only to beat Flamengo but also for Vitória to stumble, as they host Botafogo in the round.

Neymar's Numbers Against Flamengo

Neymar also has positive numbers against Flamengo in his career. In his two stints with Santos, the attacking midfielder faced the Rio de Janeiro club in seven matches, with two wins, three draws, and two losses, totaling a success rate of 42.85%.

In this period, the star scored five goals. One of the goals became very memorable for winning the Puskás Award, given by FIFA for the most beautiful goal of the season. In 2011, a still young Neymar dribbled past several players and received the ball back after a one-two. He executed a stunning dribble, bypassed the defender, and scored a beautiful goal at Vila.

The match will also mark Neymar's first game at Maracanã against Flamengo. The only time the star faced the rival in Rio de Janeiro was on October 23, 2011, when both teams drew 1-1 at Nilton Santos, in the 31st round of the Brasileirão.

Santos With and Without Neymar

Since February 6, when Neymar played his first match for Santos, Peixe has played 41 matches. Of these, the star was available for 22. With him on the field, the team achieved nine wins, seven draws, and suffered six losses, totaling a success rate of 51.5%.

Without the star, this Alvinegro Praiano number drops significantly. Neymar missed 19 games this season, of which ten were losses, six were draws, and only three were wins. This represents a success rate of 26.3%.

Standings Situation

With the defeat to Palmeiras, Santos remained in the relegation zone of the Brasileirão. Peixe is in 17th place on the table, with 33 points, one less than Vitória, the first team outside the Z4. Additionally, the Alvinegro Praiano has gone four matches without a win in the tournament.

Upcoming Santos Matches

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