Neymar slams 'negative' Santos fans and tells booing supporters to 'stay home' after Sudamericana comeback victory

Santos had to dig deep before securing a 2-1 victory over Ecuadorian side Macara in the first leg of their Copa Sudamericana round-of-16 tie at Vila Belmiro on Thursday night. The visitors stunned the home crowd with an early opener from Franco Posse inside four minutes, before Neymar spearheaded his side's fightback by setting up Gabriel Barbosa's equaliser shortly before half-time. The Brazilian star then delivered a second assist from a 75th-minute corner, which William Arao converted to seal the win for the Peixe.

Despite masterminding the victory, Neymar was jeered by a section of the home supporters following a misplaced pass, triggering an emotional reaction from the player on the pitch.

Speaking to ESPNafter the match, Neymar vented his frustration at the negative atmosphere in the stands: "What I was saying out there is that we were losing 1-0, and I know the fans have been suffering for many years... but if you're going to keep thinking about that and come to the stadium with a negative mindset, it's better to stay home.

"I told the guy up there: instead of criticising, there's still 60 minutes left to play, support us... encourage us. Then we turn the game around, I come over to get some water, and he's making a heart sign in the stands... it's easy to be a Santos fan like that... Only liking the guy when he's winning."

Neymar's impressive form proved crucial once again for the Santos attack, as he extended his remarkable individual output to 13 goals and eight assists in his last 24 appearances. The encounter also brought frustration for team-mate Gabigol, who had two goals ruled out for offside, while Macara goalkeeper Rodrigo Rodriguez produced a fine late save to deny Neymar from a stoppage-time free kick. Nonetheless, the narrow victory gives the Brazilian giants a vital advantage heading into the decisive return leg.

Santos now prepare for next week's second leg away to Macara in Ambato, where a draw will be enough to seal their passage to the quarter-finals. Playing at altitude in Ecuador is expected to pose a stern physical test for Cuca's side as they look to protect their aggregate lead. Neymar will be expected to maintain his fitness and momentum to guide Santos' charge for the 2026 Copa Sudamericana title.