Neymar trains despite injury as he defies doctors in desperate bid to play

The former Barcelona star has had an injury-hit season, with the veteran only recently returning to action from a hamstring problem. This week, it emerged that Neymar had been struggling with knee discomfort, ruling him out of their 1-1 draw with Internacional on Monday. They currently sit one place above the relegation zone (17th) in the Brasileiro Serie A with three matches remaining. Shortly after picking up that valuable point, Santos manager Juan Pablo Vojvoda revealed what the club have planned for their "leader". 

He told reporters: "The plan is for him to be in the match against Sport. I have to talk to him, I'm not in his physical presence and I will respect Neymar's decisions. But his commitment is to be there, he always wants to be there. Before the Mirassol game, he felt discomfort in his knee. He also felt it during the game. The following day he was experiencing significant discomfort in that knee. We know we have games every three days. With travel, we'll arrive in Santos tomorrow afternoon… He's a player we need for all three rounds and he'll help us. He's our leader on the field. He'll be there. He felt he wouldn't be able to meet the demands of today's game."

Footage from Santos has shown that Neymar trained with his team-mates on Wednesday but it is clear he is not at 100 per cent. According to Globo, he has a tear in the meniscus region of his left knee and the medical recommendation is to have an arthroscopy - a minimally invasive surgical procedure that involves inserting a small camera into a joint through a tiny incision. This allows the surgeon to see inside the joint on a video monitor and perform necessary repairs. This injury is said to be causing Neymar 'persistent pain' when exercising but he is considering playing 'in the sacrifice' of Santos. 

The report adds that Neymar's knee 'can burst at any major impact' and the doctors are advising that he stop playing/training and undergo an arthroscopy. However, that would end his season, with the Brazilian likely to be out for a month as a result. Incidentally, when Neymar took part in team training, he avoided contact, and he played with support on his left knee. The fear is that if he doesn't rest his knee, this issue could become a lot worse, potentially ruling him out for the start of 2026 and jeopardising his chances of a Brazil national team call-up in March. Despite that, Neymar is reportedly mulling over what to do, as a potential return to the second division beckons.

The former Paris Saint-Germain star, who joined Santos at the start of 2025 after having his Al-Hilal contract cancelled, has had a mixed second spell at his boyhood club so far. The ex-Barca ace has been on the sidelines for lengthy periods and a return of seven goals and three assists in 25 matches in all competitions is nothing special. Moreover, he is out of contract at the end of the year, so if he does have the procedure, Neymar may not play for the club again. While Santos are keen to keep him, that will only likely be possible if they stay in the Brazilian top-flight. Next up, they host Sport Recife on Friday, who are rock bottom of the division. This is, arguably, a must-win game for Santos, particularly as Fortaleza have won two matches in a row and are just one point behind the Brazilian giants. It's crunch time for Santos and Neymar.