Santos boss insists Neymar ‘getting stronger’ in bid to make Brazil’s World Cup squad despite ineffective Copa Sudamericana display
Santos were held to a 1-1 draw by San Lorenzo on Tuesday night in Buenos Aires, leaving their Copa Sudamericana hopes hanging by a thread. While the collective performance was underwhelming, much of the post-match scrutiny fell on Neymar, who struggled to exert his usual influence on the continental clash. The result leaves the Brazilian giants at the bottom of Group D with just two points from three matches.
Despite the criticism, Cuca was quick to highlight the positives of his star man’s performance: “Neymar improved in the second half, where he found more space to play. In the first half he was very well marked, despite playing a part in Gabigol’s goal. In the second half he found more space, created chances, made very intelligent plays, he looks for a pass that few players can manage. I see him strong and getting stronger all the time.”
