Robinho Jr. has called for a public apology from his Santos teammate Neymar following an incident during Sunday’s training session.
The legal team at Santos is investigating after Robinho Jr., the son of former Manchester City player Robinho, accused Neymar of physically assaulting him during practice.
Neymar, 34, reportedly reacted strongly when Robinho Jr. dribbled past him, an act the veteran perceived as disrespectful. Although Neymar later apologized to Robinho Jr. and his mother for his outburst, GloboEsporte noted that Robinho Jr. has made three formal allegations against Neymar and is seeking a meeting with Santos to discuss terminating his contract due to “insufficient safety standards” at the club.
Sources told ESPN Brasil that Santos was taken aback by Robinho Jr. and his representatives’ approach, especially since the two players had appeared to communicate amicably in front of their teammates after the incident.
Club insiders suggest Robinho Jr.’s demands stem from his desire to leave Santos, with the request for an apology viewed as a legal maneuver to facilitate contract termination.
Although Robinho Jr. has been confronted with delays in his contract renewal, his representatives strongly dispute any suggestion that his actions were influenced by these issues, asserting that his response was solely due to the altercation.
It’s also possible that Robinho Jr., who has had limited playing time recently, could be loaned to another team for better opportunities. He was promoted to Santos’ first team last summer and is under contract until April 2027.
– Santos launch an investigation into Neymar’s alleged assault on Robinho Jr.
– Neymar involved in training ground altercation with Robinho’s son – sources
Meanwhile, Neymar and Robinho Jr. traveled with the Santos team to Asunción, Paraguay, for their upcoming Sudamericana group match against Deportivo Recoleta. According to ESPN, Neymar, Robinho Jr., and Gabriel Barbosa, known as ‘Gabigol’, shared lunch together at the team’s hotel.