Teixeira upbeat, Santos could see Neymar return for Copa do Brasil run-in | OneFootball

Marcelo Teixeira gave good news to Santos fans this Wednesday. The club president stated that Neymar trained normally on the field at CT Rei Pelé this afternoon. The attacking midfielder, who underwent tests last Tuesday, did not feel any discomfort in his left knee.

“It was important to be prudent and cautious. The exam showed that he does have, of course, an issue with the knee, but today he talked to the medical department and the coach and went to the field. He trained normally with the group. At the end of the training, he said he felt good. This is very positive. We continue to evaluate and monitor. The expectation is to have him available on Friday,” said the president at the Summit CBF Academy 2025.

Teixeira also assured that if Neymar plays against Sport on Friday, it will not be at the expense of his health.

“I am not in a position to explain what he has; the medical department knows better. But he trained, felt no pain, and the knee did not swell. He will be evaluated again tomorrow. The medical department is monitoring. If it were something more serious, we would not allow a sacrifice. If intervention were necessary, it would be done immediately,” he pointed out.

Neymar felt discomfort in his knee during the match against Mirassol last Wednesday, but he stayed on the field and played for the full 90 minutes. He scored a goal and committed a penalty in the 1-1 draw at Vila Belmiro.

Due to the pain, the number 10 was rested for the game against Internacional on Monday at Beira-Rio. On Tuesday, he went to São Paulo for tests.

Modest numbers

Neymar has not yet met expectations in this second stint with Santos. The star has suffered from injuries throughout the season and participated in only 25 of the 51 matches played by Alvinegro Praiano in 2025. During this period, he scored seven goals and made three assists.

Final stretch

Santos has three more games to play this season. The Peixe faces Sport at Vila Belmiro, visits Juventude in Caxias do Sul, and finishes the Brazilian Championship by hosting Cruzeiro.

Currently, the alvinegro team is at the top of the relegation zone with 38 points. The gap to Vitória, the first team outside the Z4, is just one point.

Next Santos match

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