Neymar Jr. made his long-awaited return to Santos‘ starting lineup after more than a month out with injury, stepping back onto the pitch at the club where his professional career began. With Santos fighting to escape the relegation zone in the Brazilian league—sitting 17th in the standings—expectations were high as the home fans hoped for a spark from their returning star.
But Neymar’s comeback turned sour. After receiving a yellow card in the first half, he was booked again in the 76th minute for a deliberate handball as he attempted to score. The goal was immediately disallowed, and Neymar was shown a red card, leaving Santos with ten men at a crucial moment.
Just minutes later, Botafogo capitalized on the man advantage. Artur scored the winning goal, assisted by Jair, to secure a 1-0 away victory and deepen Santos’ relegation worries. The loss was another blow to the team’s morale, as they missed a key opportunity to gain points on home soil.
Neymar’s sending off marked the 15th red card of his professional career, and his first since rejoining Santos. It was also his sixth red card with the club and his first overall since a 2021 ejection while playing for PSG against Lille, following a push on Tiago Djaló.
With the suspension, Neymar will now miss at least one match in the Brasileirao and will be unavailable for Santos’ crucial clash against Fortaleza—a direct rival in the fight to stay above the relegation line. The absence of their No. 10 adds pressure to an already difficult season for Santos, and the team will need to regroup quickly if they hope to climb out of the danger zone.
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