Neymar Forced Off in Santos’ 3-0 Loss — Tsn Schedule

tsn schedule took a strange turn Sunday when Neymar was forced off in Santos’ 3-0 home loss to Coritiba after an apparent fourth-official mistake sent the wrong player change onto the board. The 34-year-old objected immediately, and the incident landed in the middle of his last chance to impress before Brazil’s squad is announced Monday in Rio de Janeiro.

Neymar and the wrong board

The sequence broke down in the 65th minute, with Coritiba already leading 3-0 and Neymar having his right calf sprayed by a doctor. The referee told him to move to the sideline after the fourth official raised the board showing he would be replaced by Robinho Jr., even though Santos coach Cuca and Neymar said Gonzalo Escobar was the intended substitute.

Paulo Cesar Zanovelli then gave Neymar a yellow card for refusing to accept the substitution. Neymar took the official substitution request sheet and showed it to broadcasters at the Neo Quimica Arena in Sao Paulo, where the sheet listed Gonzalo Escobar’s number rather than Neymar’s No. 10.

Cuca, Ancelotti and the 26-player squad

Neymar said after the match: “I knew Robinho was coming in, but I wasn’t even watching it, I didn’t know I had been substituted, I had not seen the board. It was a very serious mistake by the officials, by the fellow who puts the numbers on the board.” Cuca added: “It is a mistake (of the fourth official) indeed. But it wasn’t the reason why we lost, it would be unfair to place blame on this.”

The error mattered because Neymar’s place in Brazil’s 26-player squad is under review as Carlo Ancelotti prepares to announce it Monday in Rio de Janeiro. Brazilian media reports have said Neymar’s chances have improved recently, but the 65th-minute mix-up became the latest twist in a return that has been difficult since he tore his ACL in October 2023.

Coritiba at Neo Quimica Arena

Coritiba’s 3-0 lead had already put the result out of reach before the substitution confusion. Santos still had to play through the rest of the match with the wrong number on the board, the booking on Neymar’s record, and a public challenge to his final audition before the squad call in Rio.