Neymar da Silva dragged Santos back from the brink against Chapecoense on Saturday, snatching a dramatic 2-2 draw in the Brazilian league. His heroics on the pitch counted for little off it. A furious half-time row with several of his team-mates has sparked an internal crisis that could threaten the club's stability.
Brazil's "Globo" network revealed that the former Paris Saint-Germain man clashed fiercely with some of the younger players, chief among them Gabriel Bontempo and João Ananias. The club believe the bust-up dragged down their second-half display and inflamed tensions inside the dressing room.
Two goals not enough to quell the controversy
Making his first appearance since returning from the World Cup, Neymar, 34, was the hero, scoring twice. One came from a penalty in the closing minutes of normal time, restoring parity after Santos had led early only to see the visitors turn the game around.
What happened behind the scenes overshadowed all of it. Brazilian media reports claim Neymar hurled scathing insults at Bontempo, branding him "lowly" and warning he would be playing second-division football against Chapecoense next season, a jab at the youngster's declining form.
Denial and investigation
Those close to Brazil's all-time top scorer stayed silent over the accusations. Bontempo and Ananias both confirmed a public argument had broken out between the two halves, but they flatly denied the insults doing the rounds in the media.
As the crisis deepens and threatens the squad's unity, Santos have launched an urgent internal investigation to get to the bottom of it. The aim is simple: cool the tension and restore harmony before the next round of fixtures.