Santos FC Overview

Neymar marked his return from injury in style by coming off the bench to score twice from the spot and rescue a 2-2 draw for Santos against Flamengo on Thursday. The talismanic forward halted the Serie A leaders' winning momentum at Vila Belmiro, providing title rivals Palmeiras with a major boost during a frantic second half.

Former MLS star Shaka Hislop has explained to GOAL why an ‘MSN’ reunion for Neymar, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at Inter Miami may not be beneficial to the North American game as a whole. There have been plenty of rumours to suggest that a Brazilian superstar could link up with a couple of former Barcelona team-mates in South Florida when becoming a free agent.

Philippe Coutinho marked his first appearance for Santos with an instant creative spark, inspiring a 2-1 derby triumph over Sao Paulo. Head coach Cuca applauded the playmaker's decisive influence off the bench, yet tempered post-match celebrations by stressing that the veteran midfielder requires steady conditioning before completing full fixtures.

Former Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho has received an early call-up to the Santos matchday squad ahead of Friday's fierce San-Sao derby at MorumBIS. The veteran creator completed a free transfer to Vila Belmiro last month and is now in line to feature after head coach Cuca accelerated his integration due to his sharp training form.