Neymar’s return to Santos was met with great joy by the fans, who imagined it could lead to another glorious run. However, the team has only been able to focus on avoiding relegation. In an interview with Globoesporte, former Santos and Manchester City player Elano talked about him.
Elano said: “We should take care of Neymar a bit more because he isn’t happy. I speak for myself, I look at him and I know how much I appreciate him. It makes me sad. I know how wonderful this kid is. Fans have to look after him no matter what. He doesn’t deserve to get booed or insulted.”
The physical issues the talented player has endured in recent years have clearly reduced his impact. This has made his contributions on the field less frequent at a struggling Santos, as Neymar has played 39 matches and scored 15 goals.
Neymar has played injured
The explosiveness Neymar once had may be the most obvious thing missing from his game lately. A player who has had to absorb so many hits, especially early in his career, is now feeling the consequences.
What Elano emphasized when speaking about why the fans should be more supportive was Neymar’s willingness to play when his team needed him most, like last year when they were near relegation, even when he was not fully fit.
Elano said: “The relegation that could have happened last year was obvious and, even with an injury, he played at 50% of his potential and was a big help. We can’t criticize him too harshly. I know we live in an unstable era with political problems in the middle, but he’s an asset for Santos.”
Neymar’s criticism impact
The former player currently works in Santos’ youth system, so he has watched everything closely. He said the criticism Neymar receives is affecting him badly, considering the effort he makes.
Elano said: “He’s being criticized too much. I think in every aspect. We know he has huge visibility. Everything becomes a phenomenon, but in the end he’s a human being. Nobody can survive getting so many hits every day. It gets to a point where he becomes depressed.”