Neymar is facing criticism for missing Santos’ crucial semifinal match after being spotted celebrating Carnival just days earlier.
Santos suffered a 2-1 defeat to archrival Corinthians in the São Paulo state championship semifinals on Sunday, with Neymar remaining on the bench for the entire match. The following day, he claimed he had a minor injury but provided no further details.
His absence raised eyebrows, especially since he was seen at Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome enjoying the Carnival festivities last week. The star forward, who returned to Santos in January, attended the event only hours after being substituted in a March 2 match due to an apparent left thigh injury.
Having recently recovered from an ACL tear that kept him sidelined for over a year, Neymar’s decision to participate in Carnival while his fitness remained unclear has sparked debate. Notably, Santos had not disclosed any injury concerns regarding him before the semifinal.
