Neymar's Flu Scare: Expected Return for Santos Derby Clash

Neymar Jr. gave Santos a brief scare on Friday, missing tactical training at CT Rei Pelé with mild flu symptoms just as Cuca’s side were tightening the final screws on their derby preparations.

On the eve of a trip to fierce rivals Corinthians, the captain was nowhere to be seen on the pitch. For a team hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone, the sight – or lack of it – was unsettling.

The club quickly moved to calm the noise. Acting on advice from the medical department, Santos chose to rest their star forward as a precaution, determined not to risk any deterioration before a crucial stretch of the season.

In an official statement, Santos explained the decision clearly: “The athlete Neymar Jr. presented flu-like symptoms and was rested from Friday's (August 28) training session, following advice from the Health Department.”

The message behind the scenes was just as clear: this is about protection, not panic. Reports indicate Neymar is expected to return to training on Saturday and remains in line for selection in the derby.

For Cuca, that news changes everything.

Neymar has been the heartbeat of Santos’ attack this season, stacking up nine goals and eight assists in 24 appearances. When he plays, Santos carry threat. When he doesn’t, the whole structure wobbles.

The memory is still fresh: a 3-0 collapse to Palmeiras in the Copa do Brasil when they had to cope without their captain. That night underlined his importance more than any statistic could.

Now, with the calendar tightening and the stakes rising, Cuca’s selection puzzle grows more complex. Joao Schmidt is suspended after an accumulation of yellow cards. Gabriel Menino is already out with a knee sprain. Options are thinning just as the schedule turns brutal.

So the idea of facing Corinthians without Neymar, in a derby that could shape the club’s season, bordered on unthinkable.

Santos walk into the clássico with the relegation zone just two points beneath them in the Campeonato Brasileiro table. One bad week and they could be dragged into the fight they have been trying to avoid all year. One big result, and the mood flips.

And the derby is only the start.

After Corinthians, Santos must attempt what looks close to impossible: overturning a three-goal deficit against Palmeiras in the second leg of their Copa do Brasil quarter-final. They were outclassed 3-0 in the first leg and now need something approaching a miracle.

That punishing run ends with a demanding away trip to Internacional, a fixture that offers little comfort for a side already stretched and under pressure, before the domestic schedule pauses for the break.

All of which explains why a “mild flu” for Neymar became headline news.

Santos need their captain on the pitch, not in the treatment room. In a season balanced on a knife edge, his return to training on Saturday could be the difference between a revival and a slide into trouble.