Neymar sidelined as Santos face Palmeiras in crucial derby clash

In the theater of Brazilian football, where rivalries carry the weight of identity and history, Santos prepares to face Palmeiras without the one figure who most defines their ambitions this season. Neymar's absence from the derby roster — for reasons left officially unspoken — strips the encounter of its most anticipated element and forces a club to confront a question every team must eventually answer: who are you when your brightest light goes dark? Gabigol steps into the void, capable but not equivalent, as Santos walks into one of football's most charged atmospheres carrying less than the