Neymar Rages at Santos Pitch Conditions After Injury

Neymar left Vila Belmiro limping – and fuming.

The Brazilian star suffered a thigh injury and launched a blistering attack on the state of Santos’ pitch after their Copa do Brasil elimination to Palmeiras, a goalless second leg that followed a 3-0 defeat in the first leg of the quarter-final.

He came off at the end of the first half, clearly uncomfortable. The frustration quickly spilled over online.

On Instagram, Neymar opened with biting sarcasm: “I would like to congratulate the person responsible for the Vila Belmiro stadium pitch.”

The tone then snapped from ironic to incandescent.

“What happened yesterday was the worst pitch the club has ever seen,” he wrote. “It was full of holes because of works carried out one day before the match. Unbelievable! Alongside playing against the opponent, we were also playing against the pitch.”

The forward claimed the surface didn’t just spoil the spectacle, it increased the physical toll on the players.

“And to make matters worse, we had to make a greater effort because of its dreadful condition. No wonder 3 players were injured in the first half. Well done indeed... very poor work!”

Neymar confirmed he had felt pain in his thigh and would need scans.

“Unfortunately, I felt discomfort in my thigh. I will undergo tests, and I hope it is not serious. We will keep our morale up and focus on what is coming.”

Palmeiras saw their chance and did not let it pass.

The club issued a pointed, sarcastic statement of their own, extolling the quality of their pitch and stressing that it receives daily maintenance and “remains in perfect condition”.

They underlined that their players feel more secure because of that standard and highlighted one statistic: over the past five years, Palmeiras are the Brazilian top-flight club least affected by injuries.

In other words, a clean counter-attack – straight back at Santos’ biggest star.