Santos coach Cuca has revealed Neymar was willing to play against Palmeiras, but the coaching staff decided to leave him out before the club suffered a 3-0 defeat in the Copa do Brasil quarter-final.

Neymar Wanted to Play as Santos Made Huge Call Before 3-0 Palmeiras Defeat

Neymar wanted to play in Santos’ Copa do Brasil quarter-final against Palmeiras, but the coaching staff decided to leave him out before the club suffered a damaging 3-0 defeat.

The Brazilian star’s absence had already caused major debate before kick-off, particularly because of his previous concerns about artificial pitches.

However, Santos coach Cuca has now made it clear that Neymar was not the person who decided to miss the match.

Cuca says Neymar wanted to play

Speaking after the defeat, Cuca revealed that Neymar was prepared to travel and take part in the first leg.

The Santos coach said that if the decision had been entirely up to Neymar, the 34-year-old would have been on the pitch against Palmeiras.

That significantly changes the narrative surrounding his absence.

Before the game, some had suggested Neymar simply did not want to play because of the artificial surface. Cuca’s comments indicate the final decision came from the coaching staff instead.

Neymar says he was available

Neymar has also insisted that he was ready to play.

The forward explained that his absence was linked to the club’s attempt to manage his workload during a demanding run of fixtures.

Both Neymar and Cuca have therefore presented the same version of events. Neymar was available, but Santos chose not to use him.

Why Santos decided to leave Neymar out

Cuca explained that several factors were considered before the decision was made.

Neymar had recently completed 90 minutes against Mirassol, while Santos were facing a difficult sequence of matches that also included Corinthians and the second leg against Palmeiras.

The Brazilian star is also carrying two yellow cards in the Copa do Brasil, meaning another booking could have put his availability for the return match at risk.

The artificial pitch was another consideration, although Santos have stressed that it was not the only reason.

Santos badly miss their biggest star

The decision came under even greater scrutiny after Palmeiras dominated the first leg and secured a 3-0 victory.

Santos now face an enormous challenge if they are to keep their Copa do Brasil campaign alive.

Cuca admitted Neymar makes a major difference to the team, even while defending the reasoning behind the decision to protect him.

With Santos struggling to create enough danger against Palmeiras, Neymar’s absence inevitably became one of the biggest talking points after the final whistle.

Neymar expected back for the second leg

The good news for Santos is that Neymar is expected to return before the decisive rematch.

Current plans indicate he could feature against Corinthians in the league before being available for the second leg against Palmeiras at Vila Belmiro.

The return match will also be played on natural grass, removing one of the concerns that surrounded the first leg.

Unless Neymar suffers a new fitness problem, he is expected to be available as Santos attempt to overturn the three-goal deficit.

Santos face almost impossible comeback mission

After losing 3-0, Santos must produce a remarkable performance in the return leg.

A three-goal victory would take the tie to penalties, while a win by four or more goals would send Santos through outright.

That makes Neymar’s potential return even more important.

What initially looked like a case of Neymar choosing not to play has now developed into a very different story. Cuca says the forward wanted to be on the pitch, Santos made the decision to protect him, and the club now desperately need their biggest star as they try to rescue the tie.