Neymar left out of Santos squad for Palmeiras derby as club manages his workload

Neymar will not be part of Santos' matchday squad for Saturday's Brazilian Serie A derby against Palmeiras after the club left the forward out of the 24 players announced by head coach Cuca. The omission, confirmed via Santos' official social channels and reported by O Globo, comes as the club manages Neymar's workload amid a congested schedule and ahead of Santos' Copa Sudamericana trip to Recoleta FC in Paraguay.

Why Neymar is absent

Santos' decision not to include Neymar is presented as part of a planned rotation to protect his fitness. The report says the omission is linked to the sequence of matches Santos face and the coaching staff's plan that foresees Neymar missing certain games. Another factor cited is the playing surface at Palmeiras' Allianz Parque: the stadium's synthetic turf has previously been identified by Neymar as a concern for his physical well-being.

Context: Santos' season and Neymar's World Cup hopes

Santos sit in a precarious position in the Serie A table, reported to be in the relegation zone with 14 points from 13 matches, making derby fixtures against local rivals Palmeiras especially important for the club's survival bid. For Neymar personally, the priority is to reach peak physical and competitive form to push for a place in Brazil's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup; national team coach Carlo Ancelotti has indicated that selection will depend on players' ability to perform at the required level.

How Santos are managing Neymar's minutes

According to the report, Neymar recently completed a run of five straight full 90-minute appearances — a run he had not achieved in years — but the club has been carefully managing his workload since. Neymar was also omitted from the squad for last weekend's 2-2 draw with Bahia, and Santos will again rest him for the Palmeiras fixture with a view to preserving him for the midweek Copa Sudamericana assignment.

• Santos announced a 24-player squad for the Palmeiras derby; Neymar is not included.
• O Globo (as reported by the source) cites match congestion and the synthetic turf at Allianz Parque as reasons for the omission.
• Santos reportedly prioritise Neymar's fitness ahead of a Copa Sudamericana trip to Recoleta FC in Paraguay.
• Santos are reportedly in the Serie A relegation zone with 14 points from 13 matches (as stated in the source).
• Neymar's aim is to reach peak form to compete for a Brazil place at the 2026 World Cup.

Neymar's aversion to synthetic turf is a known issue: he has publicly criticised artificial surfaces in Brazil, describing them as harmful to players' physical health. That concern, plus Santos' broader plan to balance his minutes, features in the explanation for his absence against Palmeiras.

What happens next

Santos will face Palmeiras without Neymar on Saturday and then travel to Paraguay for the Copa Sudamericana tie. The club's approach suggests further selective absences could occur as they balance domestic survival pressures, continental fixtures and Neymar's preparation for the 2026 World Cup. Exact future squad selections, the coach's comments and any official medical or technical statements were not provided in the source and should be confirmed before publication.