Santos Official Speaks on Payments, Arthur and Neymar's Absence
Listen to the story
A director from the Brazilian football club Santos, named Mattos, spoke to the press about several important topics. He said the club had paid its overdue wages to players who were owed money.
When reporters asked about a player called Arthur, Mattos avoided giving direct answers. He is being vague about the player's situation at the club.
Mattos also discussed Neymar, one of Santos's most famous players, who did not play in a recent match against Palmeiras. He gave reasons for this absence.
Neymar himself commented on the situation too. He said the decision not to play came from the team's coaching staff, not from him.
The match took place on a synthetic pitch, an artificial playing surface, instead of real grass. This detail was part of the discussion around his absence.
The Palmeiras versus Santos game was part of the Copa do Brasil, a major national football tournament. Before the match, fans were looking for information about where to watch it live.
They also wanted to know the starting lineups for both teams, meaning which players would begin the game on the field.
Vocabulary10 words
- overdue wages
- money for work that was not paid on time
- vague
- not clear or exact
- absence
- when someone is not present
- coaching staff
- the group who train and manage a team
- synthetic pitch
- an artificial field, not real grass
- Copa do Brasil
- a major football competition in Brazil
- starting lineups
- the players chosen to begin a match
- director
- a person who manages part of an organization
- press
- journalists and news reporters as a group
- situation
- the current state of things
Quiz
Answer key
1. They have been paid 2. The coaching staff 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
A director from Santos, named Mattos, spoke to the _____ about several topics.
He said the club had paid its overdue _____ to players.
When asked about Arthur, Mattos was _____ about giving direct answers.
Mattos also discussed Neymar, who did not play against _____.
Neymar said the decision came from the team's coaching _____.
The match was on a _____ pitch instead of real grass.
The game was part of the Copa do _____, a major tournament.
Fans wanted to know the starting _____ for both teams.
Discussion questions
- Why might a football club delay paying its players?
- Do you think coaching decisions about player rest are usually fair? Why or why not?
- How might playing on a synthetic pitch affect players compared to real grass?
- Why do fans care so much about lineups before a big match?