Neymar has lashed out at the state of the playing surface at Vila Belmiro following a painful injury exit during Santos' Copa do Brasil clash with Palmeiras. The Brazilian superstar was left in tears after being forced off, later taking to social media to express his absolute disbelief at the conditions provided by his own club.
Former Arsenal winger Willian has advised Gabriel Jesus against returning to Brazilian football amid growing uncertainty over the forward's future in north London. With Palmeiras closely monitoring his situation before the transfer window shuts, the 38-year-old urged his compatriot to resolve his position and continue playing in the Premier League.
Palmeiras youth academy coordinator Joao Paulo Sampaio has lavished praise on the club's talent pathway following an agreed €40m deal to sell attacking midfielder Allan to Manchester City. The 22-year-old was officially honoured at Nubank Parque on Wednesday as the Brazilian giants celebrated yet another lucrative European export.
Neymar has clarified his omission from the Santos squad after watching his side slump to a comprehensive 3-0 defeat against bitter rivals Palmeiras in the Copa do Brasil. The 34-year-old forward was left out of Wednesday's round-of-16 first leg entirely, sparking intense scrutiny following the Peixe's toothless display at Nubank Parque.
Santos football executive director Alexandre Mattos insisted that leaving Neymar out of their 3-0 Copa do Brasil defeat to Palmeiras was purely tactical. The veteran forward was omitted from the matchday team sheet, sparking debate surrounding his physical condition and the venue's synthetic surface.
Neymar has been named in the Santos squad for Wednesday's Copa do Brasil quarter-final first leg against fierce rivals Palmeiras. The forward's inclusion comes despite long-standing concerns regarding artificial turf at Nubank Parque, with the 34-year-old previously expressing strong reluctance to risk his fitness on synthetic surfaces.
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