I need more minutes and games, I'm not at 100%: Neymar after second Santos debut
(Courtesy :Â Santos FC)
The Brazilian came as a substitute in Santos’ 1-1 draw with Botafogo.
Twelve years after leaving the club to join Barcelona in 2013, Neymar made his second debut for Santos at the Estadio Vila Belmiro, where his side led 1-0 at halftime. Neymar, who had just returned from injury, made an impact in the second, but Botafogo rallied to earn a 1-1 draw.
Neymar finally made his debut for his boyhood club yesterday as the forward entered the game as a substitute in their game against Botafogo. After the match, the Brazilian spoke to the media and opened up about how he felt after making his second debut for the club.
Neymar also highlighted his fitness issue as the forward revealed that if he is to reach peak fitness he will more need minutes, and games as he is not 100% fit.
“I love Santos,” said Neymar. I have no words to describe what I felt tonight when I stepped again on this pitch.
“I need minutes, games. I’m not at 100%. I didn’t expect to run and dribble so much tonight. I think I’ll feel better in four or five games.”
During his first season with Santos, Neymar collected six trophies, among which was the Copa Libertadores in 2011.
By the time he departed the team for Barcelona, he was 21 years old and had 136 goals in 225 games. Neymar then left Barcelona to sign a lucrative contract with Paris St-Germain in 2017, who paid ÂŁ200 million to acquire him, which saw him become the most expensive player of all time.
However, his 2022 move to Saudi Arabia didn’t go well after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament, limiting him to just seven games for Al-Hilal.
Meanwhile, before Neymar’s return, Santos were in Serie B, but they managed to earn a promotion to the top-flight league last season.
I will give my best as I always have to put Santos where it deserves to be: Neymar
After the match on social media, Neymar wrote:
“As bad as the result was, today was a very special day. Thank you all for your affection and for encouraging us until the end. Now more than ever we need all the support from our fans… because with you we are stronger! Very happy and excited to be back, I will give my best as I always have to put Santos where it deserves to be, at the top!!! Come on team, come on nation… together we are unbeatable, BELIEVE.”
For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Telegram.
After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.