In his return to Brazil, Neymar has faced harsh criticism, and now the new head coach of Santos FC has delivered a clear message in response.
Things haven’t gone as expected in Neymar’s return to Santos FC. The forward came back to Brazil’s top flight after 12 years, generating huge anticipation, but recurring injuries have kept him from playing consistently—leading to mounting criticism. In that context, the new coach of the team spoke out about the 33-year-old superstar.
After weeks of speculation linking managers like Dorival Junior, Jorge Sampaoli, and Gerardo Martino to the job, Cleber Xavier was officially named the head coach of Santos. He now takes charge of the 32 remaining games in the Serie A season, along with the Copa do Brasil.
At his first press conference with Santos, Xavier was asked about the role Ney will play in this new chapter for the club. “He’s an idol, the best player Brazil has had in recent years,” the coach said, according to Infobae, showing the high regard he has for the forward’s talent.
Immediately afterward, Cleber addressed the frequent criticism the forward receives for his off-field behavior. “I always get asked the same thing: ‘Is Neymar a problem?’ Never, never has he been. He’s always been the solution, on and off the field,” said the coach.
Neymar and Cleber Xavier already know each other
This will be Cleber Xavier’s first experience as a head coach. He spent more than two decades as an assistant to Tite at clubs like Gremio, Corinthians, and Flamengo. Their biggest joint challenge, however, came with the Brazil national team, where they worked from 2016 to 2022.
Over those six years, Cleber Xavier coached Neymar, who was the standout star of Brazil under Tite. Together, they appeared in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and the 2022 edition in Qatar, reaching the quarterfinals on both occasions.
The reunion between Neymar and Cleber Xavier
At the press conference, the new coach shared details about his reunion with Neymar at Santos. “He was the first one I saw yesterday when I arrived at the club,” Cleber said. “We crossed paths and talked. He told me he was happy to have me on the team, and I told him I was happy to have him too.”
Neymar’s next challenges with Santos
As Neymar works to recover from recent muscle issues, Santos faces a stretch of critical matches that could determine the course of their season. On Thursday afternoon, they drew 1-1 with Clube de Regatas Brasil in the first leg of the third round of the Copa do Brasil. In the league, they currently sit second to last in the standings and will visit Gremio this Sunday.
From: bolavip.com
