According to Tycsports, Neymar did not travel with Santos to Venezuela, as the team decided, for fitness management and preparation considerations, to let him continue his recovery and not participate in the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana against Central Venezuela.
Santos will face a crucial match in the Copa Sudamericana playoffs, but Neymar is not on the roster. On Tuesday local time, they will play away against Central Venezuela, and Neymar's absence is due to coach Cuca's decision to let him continue his physical adjustment.
Although Neymar has resumed training after participating in the 2026 World Cup, he will not immediately return to official matches. The coaching staff believes he needs more preparation time before returning to the field, so he was not included in the roster for this international match.
Gabigol is also not in the Santos squad traveling for this away game, as he has also been rotated for rest. The team hopes to reasonably allocate player load during the busy schedule to avoid risking players at different stages of recovery.
The Brazilian team just suffered a 1-2 loss to Botafogo in the Brasileirão, which affected their form. In that match, the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward was also unable to play, so his return will have to wait longer.
Cuca's injury list continues to grow. João Schmidt is still in the final stages of recovery and has not yet received official clearance to return. Willian Arão remains out with a rib injury, and Igor Vinicius is still recovering from tendinitis. Additionally, Gustavo Henrique is affected by a right hamstring strain, and Moisés is still dealing with discomfort in his right ankle.
This clash against Central Venezuela is one of Santos's important goals in international competitions this season. The first leg will kick off on Wednesday at 8:30 AM Beijing time (CEST) in Venezuela, with the second leg scheduled for July 28, where Santos will play at home.
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