Five consecutive league victories, their best winning streak in seven years and a sudden push towards Copa Libertadores qualification. Santos are enjoying their most convincing run of form since Neymar returned to the club, but there is one rather uncomfortable detail: their biggest star has not been on the pitch.
Neymar is finally available again after recovering from a thigh injury, yet head coach Cuca is reportedly preparing to leave him on the bench against Brazilian league leaders Flamengo on Thursday night. It is a remarkable situation for a player whose return to Santos was supposed to transform the club, particularly when the numbers suggest that the team has become more effective without him.
Five Straight Wins — and Neymar Wasn't Involved
Santos have gone seven Brazilian Serie A matches unbeaten, winning their last five in succession. According to Brazilian outlet UOL, it is the club's first five-match winning streak in the league since August 2019, when Jorge Sampaoli was in charge and Santos eventually finished runners-up.
The latest victory came on October 2, when Santos came from behind to beat São Paulo 2-1 at the Morumbis. Luciano had given the hosts the lead from the penalty spot, but Gabigol equalised almost immediately before scoring the winner early in the second half. It was another result that demonstrated how dramatically Santos' fortunes have changed under Cuca.
The transformation has been significant enough to alter the club's ambitions. Instead of looking nervously towards the relegation zone, Santos are now competing for a place in next season's Copa Libertadores, having climbed into the top eight ahead of the October 8 fixtures.
Neymar has watched this revival from the sidelines while recovering from a muscle injury in his right thigh. His absence has coincided with the team's strongest sustained run of the season, creating a selection problem that would have seemed almost unthinkable when the Brazilian superstar first returned to his boyhood club.
The Numbers Behind Santos' Neymar Dilemma
The most revealing statistics concern how Santos perform when Neymar and Gabigol are separated.
According to UOL's October 8 analysis, Santos have played 17 matches in 2026 with Gabigol starting and Neymar absent. They have won nine, drawn four and lost four, collecting 60.7% of the available points.
When both players have appeared together, the return falls to 53.6% across 23 matches, with nine victories, ten draws and four defeats. That is a meaningful difference over a reasonable number of games, even if the figures alone cannot establish that Neymar is responsible for the decline.
There is an important qualification: Santos have also won both matches in which Neymar played without Gabigol. The sample is far too small to draw firm conclusions, but it suggests that the problem may not be Neymar himself. It may be the challenge of accommodating two attacking players who both need considerable freedom.
The recent numbers make Gabigol's case particularly compelling. During Neymar's recovery, Santos played six matches across domestic and continental competitions, winning five and losing one. Gabigol started all six and contributed six goals and three assists, becoming the central figure in the team's attacking revival.
At 30, the former Flamengo striker has rediscovered the form that made him one of Brazilian football's most feared forwards. His two goals against São Paulo were the latest demonstration of his importance, and Cuca now faces a difficult decision about whether to disturb a successful attacking structure simply because Neymar is available again.
Why Neymar and Gabigol May Be Difficult to Fit Together
The question is not whether Santos have enough attacking talent. Few Brazilian clubs can call upon players with the individual quality and experience of Neymar, Gabigol and Philippe Coutinho, but assembling famous names is not the same as building a balanced team.
Brazilian journalist Paulo Vinícius Coelho has offered a tactical explanation for the difference in results. In his assessment, Cuca's system functions best when one attacking player is allowed to operate with relative freedom while the others contribute more consistently to defensive work.
Both Neymar and Gabigol are most dangerous when they can concentrate on creating or finishing chances rather than repeatedly tracking opponents into deeper areas. Using both in those roles can leave Santos with fewer players contributing to defensive transitions, potentially exposing the midfield and forcing the rest of the team to compensate.
It is a familiar problem in football, particularly when clubs attempt to accommodate multiple established attacking stars. Individually, Neymar and Gabigol can decide matches, but the team also needs sufficient running, pressing and defensive discipline around them.
Cuca has found a balance during Neymar's absence, with players such as Rodinei, Everton Cebolinha and Gabriel Bontempo contributing to a more functional collective structure. Coutinho has also provided an additional creative option, including an influential appearance from the bench against São Paulo.
The challenge now is finding a role for Neymar without sacrificing the organisation that has helped Santos produce their best results in years.
Neymar Returns Against Flamengo — But Not to the Starting XI
Neymar's recovery comes at a particularly significant moment. Santos host league leaders Flamengo at Vila Belmiro on Thursday, October 8, in one of the most anticipated fixtures of the Brazilian championship's 29th round.
The 34-year-old has been included in the squad after approximately five weeks out with a right-thigh injury. However, ge.globo reported on Wednesday that he would start on the bench, with any involvement dependent on how the match develops.
That decision reflects two considerations. Neymar is returning from a muscular problem and needs his workload managed carefully, but Santos also have little reason to make dramatic changes to a team that has won five consecutive league matches.
Flamengo arrive as league leaders with 60 points, three ahead of Palmeiras, and are themselves unbeaten in seven matches. They represent a serious test of whether Santos' recent improvement can continue against the strongest opposition in Brazil.
There are other complications for Cuca. Everton Cebolinha, who has played an important role in the team's revival, is unavailable against his former club because of a contractual restriction that would require Santos to pay a fee to field him. Goalkeeper Gabriel Brazão and midfielder Arthur are also sidelined through injury.
Neymar's presence among the substitutes therefore gives Cuca another option if the match demands a change. But it also raises the possibility that Santos could produce another strong performance without relying on the player who was expected to be their main attraction.
Does Santos Actually Play Better Without Neymar?
There is a temptation to look at five consecutive victories and conclude that Santos no longer need Neymar. The statistics certainly raise questions about how Cuca should use him, but they do not justify such a simple verdict.
The comparison between 60.7% and 53.6% includes matches played against different opponents, under different circumstances and with changing personnel. Neymar has also spent much of the season dealing with physical problems, which complicates any attempt to compare his influence with that of a fully fit Gabigol.
What the recent run does demonstrate is that Santos have developed a functioning team without depending on Neymar to solve every attacking problem. Gabigol has rediscovered his scoring touch, Cuca has established a more balanced structure and the club has moved into contention for continental qualification.
That changes Neymar's situation considerably. Instead of returning to a struggling team desperate for inspiration, he is coming back to one that has discovered how to win without him.
The question facing Cuca is no longer simply when Neymar will be fit enough to play. It is whether the coach can bring his most famous player back into the side without losing the qualities that have made Santos so successful in his absence.
Thursday's meeting with Flamengo will not settle that debate on its own, but it could provide the first indication of how Cuca intends to solve it. For Neymar, the challenge is unusually clear: he is returning to a team that no longer needs rescuing.
Published by Patrick Jane
08.10.2026