Neymar’s tears, crisis and sacking linger as Santos host Vasco after last year’s 6-0 | OneFootball

Santos host Vasco at Vila Belmiro on Thursday at 19:00 in the fourth round of the Brasileirão, with memories of last season’s 6-0 that sparked protests and a sacking raw.

According to Globo.com, the rout at Morumbis, in front of more than 54,000 Santos fans, plunged Santos into crisis.

Since then, much changed but little improved. Santos fought relegation to the final round of the 2025 Brasileiro, dismissed Cleber Xavier and hired Juan Pablo Vojvoda, yet began 2026 under pressure.

With a deeper yet still unbalanced squad, they lost to Novorizontino on Sunday in the Paulista quarter-finals. A win is sought to avoid more upheaval and another relegation scrap.

Neymar, anonymous in that hammering, aims to reclaim his starring role against a Vasco now without idol Philippe Coutinho, who terminated his contract. Fernando Diniz, Vasco’s coach that day, has also since been dismissed.

Vasco later finished runners-up in the Copa do Brasil, yet their start to this year has underwhelmed. On Sunday they must overturn a 1-0 first-leg defeat to Fluminense in the Carioca semi-final to avoid an early exit.

That 6-0 also marked a low for Neymar. He watched from the pitch unable to stem the tide, cried at full time and chose to leave alone. Diniz consoled him with a warm embrace.

It was a reality check in a stalled project year, the number 10 battled injuries and fell short of leading Santos back to a level that might have returned him to the Brazil squad.

Source: Globo.com