Neymar criticises Santos’ Vila Belmiro pitch after injury in Copa do Brasil exit

Neymar has described the pitch at Santos’ Vila Belmiro stadium as the worst he has ever seen after his side were eliminated by Palmeiras in the quarter-finals of the Copa do Brasil.

Santos drew 0-0 with Palmeiras in the second leg, but went out 3-0 on aggregate after losing the first meeting. Neymar started the match but was replaced by Rony at half-time after feeling discomfort in the muscle of his right thigh.

The 33-year-old criticised the condition of the surface in a post on Instagram, targeting those responsible for preparing the pitch.

“I wanted to congratulate the person responsible for the Vila Belmiro pitch. Yesterday, it was the worst pitch the stadium has ever had, full of holes because the soil had been dismantled the day before the match,” Neymar wrote.

He added: “Unbelievable! As well as playing against the opposition, we were playing against the pitch itself. On top of that, we had to make a greater effort to accelerate and stop while running because the pitch was uneven; it is no wonder that three players were injured in the first half. Congratulations, as you know. Great work, really.”

Neymar left the field at the interval, with Rony taking his place for the second half. The forward’s discomfort in his right thigh muscle was given as the reason for the substitution.

His comments came after Santos’ Copa do Brasil campaign ended despite a goalless home draw. Palmeiras’ three-goal advantage from the first leg proved decisive, sending them through to the last four.

Neymar has made 25 appearances for Santos in all competitions so far this season. He has scored eight goals and provided five assists.

The criticism adds to a disappointing evening for Santos, who were unable to overturn the deficit against Palmeiras and also saw their leading player leave the match at half-time. With the tie already heavily weighted in Palmeiras’ favour after the opening game, the second-leg draw confirmed Santos’ quarter-final exit.