Santos advances past Macará without Neymar

Neymar did not play as Santos drew 0-0 with Macará in Ecuador, but the result sent the Brazilian club into the Copa Sudamericana quarter-finals. The Santos captain also missed the trip and later shared the team’s dressing-room celebration on social media, according to Olé.

Santos advances past Macará without Neymar

Santos entered the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana round of 16 with a 2-1 advantage from the first match in Brazil. The club protected that lead with a goalless draw at Macará’s Bellavista stadium in Ambato, Ecuador, securing a place among the competition’s final eight teams. Olé reported that the match was played at an altitude of 2,580 metres.

The forward was not included in Santos’ lineup for the decisive match. Earlier reporting from Metro Ecuador said the club would also be without Gabriel Barbosa and Álvaro Barreal. Davizinho, an 18-year-old player, took the place associated with the Santos captain in the attack, while Thaciano replaced Barbosa.

Olé said the captain was rested to avoid the physical strain of playing at altitude and did not travel with the delegation. The available reports establish that he missed the match and supported the team from a distance; they do not provide further medical details or indicate that an injury caused his absence.

A brief timeline of the qualification

• First leg: Santos won 2-1 at home, giving it the aggregate advantage before the return match.
• Second leg: Macará and Santos finished 0-0 in Ambato, leaving Santos ahead 2-1 on aggregate.
• After the match: Santos posted a group photograph from the visiting dressing room. The captain reshared it on Instagram with the message “Seguimos,” as reported by Olé.

Santos’ quarter-final opponent and next dates

Santos is set to face fellow Brazilian club Atlético Mineiro in the quarter-finals. The first leg is scheduled for September 9, with Santos listed as the home team, and the return leg is scheduled for September 16, according to Olé.

The qualification comes during a crowded period for the club. Santos is also due to play Palmeiras in the Copa do Brasil quarter-finals. In the Brasileirão, Olé placed Santos 14th after 22 matches, with six wins, seven draws and nine defeats. Its next listed league fixtures were against Mirassol on August 23 and Corinthians on August 30, with the Palmeiras cup match scheduled for August 26. The latest confirmed state is that Santos has advanced in South America and will meet Atlético Mineiro in September.