March 12 – Brazilian superstar, Neymar, who recently returned with much fanfare to his boyhood team, Santos, has come under fire after attending carnival in Rio de Janeiro.
Santos lost 2-1 to arch-rivals, Corinthians, in the semifinal of the Sao Paulo state championships, however, Neymar, sat on the bench the entire 90 minutes, and then claimed he had a minor injury. Yet, just a few days earlier he had been photographed partying at the Rio Sambadrome.
“All I wanted was to be on the pitch and help my teammates in some way,” Neymar said on Instagram “But last Thursday I felt a discomfort that prevented me from being on the pitch. We took a test this morning and I ended up feeling it again.”
When Santos coach, Pedro Caixinha was asked about the injury he said: “It was just a discomfort, but it meant he couldn’t participate. It was my request and he agreed to be with the squad.”
“He’s a different player, he is enlightened and has fantastic energy. Neymar suffered a lot for not being able to participate in the game,” he continued.
Meanwhile, Santos president, Marcelo Teixeira said: “It is a precaution, we understood we shouldn’t [play him],” Teixeira said. “It is not about the national team, it is because he had not conditions [to play]. He is in a process of recovery. We need to understand that.”
National media wasn’t so forgiving though.
“He chose Carnival over the semi-final,” popular pundit Walter Casagrande Jr. said on his social media channels. “Neymar’s behaviour of the last five, six years has come back. He switches the professional side for pleasure and fun.”
Santos was quick to respond releasing a video of a tearful Neymar talking to his teammates in the dressing room before the semi-final. “If you can, run for me. I wish I could be with you, running for each of you. You don’t know how desperate I am in my heart,” he said.
After being recently recalled to the national team despite playing only a handful of games since returning from ACL injury, it remains to be seen whether Neymar’s return is a cause for dancing in the streets, or just another notch in his partying lifestyle.
Contact the writer of this story, Nick Webster, at moc.l1741751601labto1741751601ofdlr1741751601owedi1741751601sni@o1741751601fni1741751601