Santos finds itself in a delicate situation in relation to Neymar after the draw for the quarter-finals of the Copa do Brasil, which took place on August 12, 2026. The first clash against Palmeiras will take place at Nubank Parque, which has a field with synthetic grass, a ground that the number 10 of the Santos team had already expressed an objection to playing on.
Since returning to Brazilian football last year, Neymar has only had one previous experience on an artificial pitch. He played in the 1-1 draw against Atlético-MG, at Arena MRV, when he suffered a sprained ankle in the first moments of the match, but remained on the field.
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Previously, the player’s team even prevented the rental of the Palmeiras stadium, even after the directors of the two clubs had negotiated so that Santos could act as home team in the capital of São Paulo.
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Still in the Santos team, Lucas Veríssimo is expected to remain absent in the Copa Sudamericana matches, according to recent information about the squad.
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Additionally, the club’s board of directors has no plans to respond to requests made by coach Cuca to hire new reinforcements for the team.
If the match were valid, for example, for the Brazilian Championship, the probability of Neymar being spared, even in good physical condition, would be quite high.
However, the current scenario is different from what was seen at the time of the World Cup. With his contract with Santos coming to an end and the club’s urgent need to accumulate points in the Brasileirão and advance in the knockout stage to generate revenue, there is a considerable chance of his presence in the first leg of the quarter-finals.
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Neymar’s participation in the clash, scheduled for September 26th, cannot yet be confirmed or ruled out. Before that date, Santos will have a full schedule, including the round of 16 round of 16 matches of the Copa Sudamericana, against Marcará, from Ecuador, and two rounds of the Brasileirão.
“Peixe” will face Vasco away from home in the Brazilian Championship and, later, will play against Mirassol at Vila Belmiro. Given Santos’ situation in the table, as they seek to move away from the relegation zone, it is likely that Neymar will participate in these two national championship matches.
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The previous year, Neymar was among the players who publicly spoke out against the use of synthetic pitches in Brazil. On the occasion, the number 10 even compared these fields with those of “society”, a different sport, and also expressed his dissatisfaction with the Atlético-MG stadium.
“Playing for Allianz, for me, is impossible. Playing in society is something that bothers any player, regardless of injuries. Morumbi is very good and I feel better. I feel good on this field”, said Neymar, after a Santos match at the São Paulo stadium, in August last year.