Neymar slams ‘malicious lies’ over Santos dressing room claims after brace against Chapecoense

Neymar has fiercely denied reports suggesting he verbally attacked two of Santos’ younger players during a heated half-time exchange against Chapecoense, insisting the allegations are “a complete lie” and accusing those responsible of spreading “malicious” misinformation.

The Brazilian superstar addressed the controversy shortly after scoring twice in Santos’ dramatic 2-2 draw, making it clear he would not tolerate what he described as fabricated stories.

Neymar rejects dressing room allegations

Reports following the match claimed Neymar confronted youngsters Gabriel Bontempo and Joao Ananias during the interval after Santos fell behind.

The 34-year-old responded directly through an Instagram Story, dismissing the claims and urging those spreading them to stop.

“What’s up, everyone? Hope you’re all having a good Sunday. It’s obviously not the Sunday we wanted, but that’s life. We have to keep our heads high and keep working.

“Now, I’ve been seeing reports that I tore into the younger players in the dressing room, which is a complete lie. Whoever is pushing that narrative, please stop. Don’t do it. Don’t lie.”

Veteran leaders addressed the entire squad

Neymar explained that while emotions were high inside the dressing room, several senior players spoke collectively to the entire squad rather than singling out younger teammates.

According to the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward, experienced figures including Lucas Verissimo, Willian Arao and Gabriel Barbosa all contributed to the discussion.

“Ask anyone who was inside that room,” Neymar said.

“We held the entire team accountable. Lucas, Arao, Gabi and I all spoke up. We’re competitive and we want to win. But nobody was picking on the young players. I’m not going to tolerate people saying that.”

‘You don’t know what football is’

The Brazil international reserved his strongest criticism for those publishing the reports, accusing them of inventing stories without understanding the realities of professional football.

“Moving forward, I’m not going to accept these lies you’re spreading on the internet,” he continued.

“Holding each other accountable in the dressing room is completely normal in football. It’s what teams that want to win do.

“The people writing these malicious, fake articles know nothing. You don’t know what football is, and you’ve never been part of a real squad.”

Neymar ended his statement with a shushing gesture, signalling his frustration with the ongoing speculation.

Mixed emotions despite match-saving brace

Despite the off-field controversy, Neymar once again demonstrated his importance to Santos on the pitch.

The veteran forward scored both goals in the 2-2 draw, including a late penalty that rescued a point after Chapecoense looked set for victory.

However, his afternoon ended on a disappointing note after receiving his third yellow card of the Serie A season, triggering a suspension that will rule him out of Santos’ next league fixture against Athletico Paranaense.

While questions continue to surround events away from the pitch, Neymar’s latest performance served as another reminder of his ability to deliver when Santos need him most.

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