Neymar's Fury Over Vila Belmiro Pitch After Injury
Neymar rages at ‘worst pitch the club has ever seen’ after injury in Santos exit
The night was already sour for Santos. Knocked out of the Copa do Brasil after a 0-0 draw with Palmeiras that followed a 3-0 defeat in the first leg, the club’s fans left Vila Belmiro with little to cheer. Neymar left limping – and fuming.
The Brazilian star suffered a thigh injury at the end of the first half and did not return after the break. The frustration of elimination mixed with pain, and his anger quickly found a target: the Vila Belmiro pitch.
From sarcasm to fury
Neymar took to Instagram and started with a cold dose of irony.
“I would like to congratulate the person responsible for the Vila Belmiro stadium pitch,” he wrote.
The sarcasm didn’t last long. His message turned into a blistering attack on the conditions he believes helped shape the tie – and his own injury.
“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.”
The accusation was clear: the surface was not just bad, it was dangerous. Neymar claimed the players had to push themselves harder simply to cope with the state of the ground.
“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!”
Three injuries in 45 minutes, a quarter-final exit, and a star forward walking off holding his thigh. For Neymar, the blame did not sit with tactics or luck. It sat under his boots.
Injury concern and defiance
On his own condition, Neymar tried to strike a more measured tone, even as the frustration lingered.
“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.”
Santos now wait for medical results, hoping their key man has escaped a major setback at a time when the club can ill afford another blow.
Palmeiras fire back
If Neymar expected his outburst to pass without reply, Palmeiras had other ideas.
The club released a pointed, sarcastic statement of their own, turning the spotlight onto their home ground and its pristine reputation. They praised the condition of their pitch, stressing that it receives daily maintenance and is kept in “perfect condition”.
Palmeiras went further, saying that the quality of their surface helps their players feel more secure, and highlighting a statistic designed to sting: over the past five years, they are the Brazilian top-flight club least affected by injuries.
No names were needed. It was a direct jab at the Santos star and his complaints about Vila Belmiro.
A bruising cup exit, a damaged thigh, and a public row over grass. For Neymar and Santos, the football has stopped – but the fallout from that night in Vila Belmiro is only just beginning.
