Santos to host Coritiba at Corinthians arena with Neymar focus before call-up | OneFootball

Santos will host Coritiba at Corinthians' Neo Química Arena on 17 May at 11:00 Brasília time in the Brasileirão, with Neymar’s pre-squad spotlight a key factor in moving the game from Vila Belmiro.

According to Globo.com, the fixture falls on the eve of the 26-man World Cup announcement, and the board believes the arena could provide the ideal stage for the Santos star to impress Carlo Ancelotti one last time.

This context is seen as boosting demand for a full house, with expectations of more than 40,000. Even so, Neymar’s final outing before the call-up was not the only reason for choosing the venue.

Internally, the stadium is viewed as an ideal platform to aid the team’s recovery in the league, with Santos still close to the relegation zone. The proximity of the stands to the pitch, as at Vila, and the quality of the surface also weighed in.

The club will be able to exploit boxes and hospitality to drive income from a single match. The expectation is for net revenue two times higher than the average from this year’s games at Vila Belmiro.

Playing in the capital also forms part of a plan to engage supporters outside Santos, with matches there seen internally as boosting the membership scheme.

Santos will cover the rental of Neo Química Arena and operational costs for this Serie A 16th-round fixture, with the remainder converted into club profit.

Source: Globo.com