Santos head coach Cuca has jumped to the defence of Neymar following a frustrating display in the Copa do Brasil, albeit while admitting the superstar forward was "a bit below par" during their 0-0 stalemate against Cortiba. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain man’s performance compounded another difficult evening for the Brazilian side, who have managed just one win in their last six outings, and Cuca has confirmed he won't play in their next fixture.
They say you should never meet your heroes, but Brazilian teenage prodigy Dell probably wouldn't agree. The Bahia and Brazil Under-17s striker has idolised Erling Haaland since he was a child, so imagine the excitement he got when, one day in training, he received a video message from the Manchester City hitman.
Erling Haaland showed off his Portuguese skills as he invited Man City target Dell to watch a match at the Etihad. For Wendeson Wanderley Santos de Melo, known simply as Dell, the moment was something close to surreal. The Brazilian youngster, already saddled with the nickname “the Brazilian Haaland,” beamed with excitement as City’s prolific frontman welcomed him into what felt like a preview of a future chapter.
Botafogo owner John Textor faces intense fan backlash amid a woeful 2025 season that has seen the club eliminated from two major cups and fall short in the Brasileirao. Supporters protested at Nilton Santos Stadium, labelling the ex-Crystal Palace stakeholder a 'clown and swindler' and citing the instability seen across his multi-club empire. The mounting crisis forced the club to reinforce security ahead of their fixture against Bahia.
Manchester City have officially confirmed the departure of Brazilian winger Kayky to Bahia in a permanent deal. After having signed with the Citizens for £9 million ($12m)in 2021, the youngster failed to cement a first-team role and spent most of his time on loan. As City begin reshaping their squad, Kayky’s exit marks the start of more expected changes at the Etihad this summer.
Bahia
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