Neymar points to the poor condition of the pitch after his injury in the Copa do Brasil
Santos captain, Neymar, left the pitch in tears during the Copa do Brasil quarter-final match against Palmeiras. The forward suffered discomfort in his right thigh at the end of the first half, an incident that the player attributed directly to the deplorable conditions of the Vila Belmiro stadium pitch.
After the 0-0 draw, which sealed the elimination of the São Paulo team following the 3-0 loss in the first leg, the Brazilian star did not hide his frustration. Through his digital platforms, he questioned the management of the pitch, pointing out that the decompaction process carried out just 24 hours before the match was counterproductive.
I wanted to congratulate the person in charge of the pitch at Vila Belmiro. Yesterday’s was the worst grass, full of holes.
Neymar, Santos captain
A risk to the physical integrity of the footballers
Neymar explained that the irregular state of the pitch forced the players to make an extra physical effort, affecting their ability to accelerate and brake during plays. The attacker was blunt in declaring that the team not only had to face the opponent, but also the traps presented by the turf.
- The player showed concern about the pitch during the warm-up.
- Neymar’s injury was not an isolated incident, as his teammates Lucas Veríssimo and Barreal also had to be substituted due to physical discomfort.
- Santos was eliminated from the tournament after failing to overcome the three-goal deficit suffered in the first leg of the series.
The situation has sparked a debate regarding stadium maintenance standards in Brazil and the direct impact these deficiencies have on the health of high-performance athletes.
