Neymar's Frustration with Santos Pitch After Copa do Brasil Exit
The night was already bad for Santos. It ended with Neymar limping off, out of the Copa do Brasil, and launching a public attack on his own club’s pitch.
Santos drew 0-0 with Palmeiras in the quarter-final second leg at Vila Belmiro, a result that sealed their elimination after a 3-0 defeat in the first leg. The scoreline was flat. The emotions were anything but.
Neymar left the field at the end of the first half with a thigh problem, visibly uncomfortable. Once the final whistle went, the forward turned his frustration on the surface he had just played on.
He took to Instagram and started with a cold dose of sarcasm:
“I would like to congratulate the person responsible for the Vila Belmiro stadium pitch.”
The message then erupted into anger.
“What happened yesterday was the worst pitch the club has ever seen. 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.”
For Neymar, this was not just about aesthetics. It was about risk.
“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!”
The Brazil star also addressed his own situation, striking a more measured note on his fitness while still sounding the alarm.
“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.”
While Santos dealt with the fallout, Palmeiras saw an opening and stepped straight into the debate.
The São Paulo club issued a pointed, ironic statement that doubled as a defence of their own standards. They “praised” the condition of their pitch, underlining that it receives daily maintenance and, in their words, remains in perfect condition.
Palmeiras went further, saying that the quality of their surface gives their players greater security. They highlighted a statistic designed to sting: over the past five years, they claim to be the Brazilian top-flight club least affected by injuries.
It was a clear, calculated counter to Neymar’s complaints, turning his fury at Vila Belmiro into an indirect endorsement of Palmeiras’ own operation.
Santos are out of the cup. Neymar is waiting on scan results. The pitch, for now, is at the centre of the storm.
