Vojvoda praises Neymar’s sacrifice for Santos: “I was sure he would play” | OneFootball

Coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda praised Neymar's attitude in Santos' victory over Sport on Friday at Vila Belmiro, during the Campeonato Brasileiro. The star, who had a left knee injury, played through the pain and led the black-and-white team to a 3-0 win over the bottom team.

Vojvoda said he spoke with the number 10 throughout the week, and Neymar assured him he would be on the field. The Argentine coach praised the player's performance and his conduct behind the scenes.

“Regarding Neymar, I talked about his commitment. I spoke with him after the game against Mirassol. He was convinced he would play today. He had discomfort in his knee, but he expressed this to me and gave me his word. Today he played a very good match. I congratulate him and the whole team,” stated the Argentine.

“I always want Neymar on the field. He also always wants to be there. He can give us a lot, and he showed that today. We know he is a distinguished player, and these players want to be in important moments. This speaks more about the person than the player. He doesn't need to prove anything more, but he always wants to give something extra. Neymar is showing me and the group more about his person than about the player. I'm happy about that,” he added.

Positive Leadership

Vojvoda believes Neymar's attitude positively influenced the rest of the squad. With the victory, Santos left the relegation zone and gained some breathing room in the fight against relegation.

“There are different types of leaders. Some lead with words, others by example, and some have that gift. Neymar has his leadership, and from that, he influences everyone around him. We knew he felt this discomfort, I saw him day by day. He said he would be there,” he commented.

“This attitude is transmitted to others. The others feel something important. We have the leadership of Rincón, Basso, Schmidt, and other players who sometimes don't play. Everyone committed to helping Neymar because he was going to help us,” he concluded.

After the match, Neymar spoke about the thigh issue and assured he would be present for Santos' next match against Juventude in Caxias do Sul.

Standings Situation

With the win over Sport, Santos surpassed Vitória and Internacional, taking the 15th place in the standings with 41 points. The advantage over Leão da Barra, which opens the relegation zone, is two points.

Next Santos Match

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