Neymar suffers concerning injury setback for Santos’ key relegation clash vs. Internacional
Neymar recently returned to the scoresheet for Santos, who remain on the brink of falling into the relegation zone with only four matches left in the Brasileirão. However, as the Peixe prepare to face Internacional in a crucial bottom-of-the-table showdown, the Brazilian star has suffered yet another concerning injury setback.
As reported by UOL Esporte, Neymar is dealing with discomfort in his left knee and showed signs of pain when bending it. For that reason, Santos’ medical staff has opted to rest their star attacker in hopes of recovering him ahead of Friday’s match against Sport Recife.
The concern stems from Santos’ last match against Mirassol FC, where Neymar returned by scoring a goal after three months. While leading 1–0, the Brazilian attempted to dribble past defender Jemmes, who managed to stop him effectively.
During the play, Neymar shifted his full weight onto his left knee, and after losing the ball, he dropped to the ground in visible discomfort. He then required medical attention in the 30th minute. Alarms quickly went off given that it is the same knee in which he underwent ACL surgery, the injury that sidelined him for more than a year.
Neymar has missed only five minutes across Santos’ last three games, having been subbed off in the 85th minute against Flamengo in a clear sign of his progress, and he still managed to finish the match against Mirassol despite the first-half scare. Now, with another setback in his road back to full fitness, it remains to be seen whether this latest issue will resolve before Santos’ next game or prove more serious than initially expected.
Santos and a key game for relegation
Neymar’s status became clearer after he did not travel with the Santos squad to Porto Alegre on Sunday morning for the team’s next match. On Monday, the Peixe will face Internacional in a game expected to be decisive heading into the final stretch of the league.
Santos currently sit in 16th place with 37 points through 34 matches, holding a narrow one-point advantage over 17th-place Vitória, who lead the group of four teams headed for relegation in the 2026 season. Internacional, meanwhile, sit 15th with 40 points, meaning a loss to Santos would put them under serious pressure, while a win could drop Neymar’s team back into the relegation zone if Vitória also pick up three points.