After being granted a rest day for the league match against Bahia, Neymar continued his absence by missing a crucial training session on April 27. The sudden no-show forced the club to awkwardly save face by issuing a medical-related excuse to the press.
According to ESPN Brasil, Neymar was fully expected to attend the April 27 training session to prepare for the team’s trip to Argentina to face San Lorenzo in the Copa Sudamericana. When the 34-year-old star failed to appear, his management team was immediately summoned for an explanation. Ultimately, Santos released an official statement claiming the forward was absent due to health reasons.
A Convenient “Viral Infection”
“Neymar experienced symptoms of a viral infection on the evening of April 26, was given medication, and has responded well. He is currently being closely monitored by the Santos medical department,” an excerpt from the club’s statement to ESPN Brasil read. “Neymar remains on the travel roster heading to Argentina for the match against San Lorenzo. He will reunite with the squad on April 28 in Buenos Aires.”
The timeline of this illness, however, has raised eyebrows. Despite being officially rested for the Brasileirao match to recover his fitness, reporters from the Brazilian outlet UOL caught Neymar eating feijoada (a traditional Brazilian stew) at a local pub in Santos on the evening of April 26. Journalist Felipe Silva of ESPN Brasil noted the irony that Santos claimed the superstar contracted the “viral infection” that exact same night—shortly after images of his pub outing went viral online.
Mounting Pressure as Santos Faces Relegation
This latest off-field drama comes at the worst possible time for Santos. The club has plummeted into the relegation zone of the Brazilian top flight following Corinthians’ victory over Vasco. Corinthians has now climbed to 14th place with 15 points, pushing Santos down to 17th place with just 14 points. Over their last seven matches across all competitions, the Vila Belmiro outfit has managed only one win, alongside three draws and three losses.
Despite the intense backlash from fans and the media, Santos head coach Cuca has stepped up to defend his star player, insisting that the 1992-born forward shouldn’t bear the sole responsibility for the team’s miserable form.
“He is going through a turbulent phase with the team and feels it deeply,” Coach Cuca stated. “The results are terrible, but the performances aren’t necessarily that bad. In football, the final result is what counts. We cannot put all the blame on Neymar’s shoulders. The responsibility needs to be shared, and as the head coach, I will take the largest portion.”
Fading World Cup Hopes
Addressing the decision to rest Neymar during the 2-2 draw with Bahia, Cuca affirmed that his player was simply exhausted from the grueling fixture list. “Neymar is still putting up good numbers in sprinting and high-speed running metrics. No one can maintain that intensity forever, let alone alongside the psychological pressure. We have no time to rest, so he sat out to ensure he is in peak physical condition for the decisive match in Argentina,” the 62-year-old tactician explained.
Amidst club struggles and controversies, Neymar is also gradually losing hope of representing the Brazilian national team at the 2026 World Cup. A persistent, lingering knee injury has severely restricted his impact throughout 2026, limiting him to just 10 appearances, 4 goals, and 3 assists for Santos this year.
