Forward Neymar denies going to a gambling establishment and confirms playing online poker during his time off.

Brazilian striker Neymar denied on Monday (March 23) reports of his presence at gambling establishments over the weekend. The Santos player explained that he participated in online poker tournaments at his home while serving a period of workload control that kept him out of the match against Cruzeiro on Sunday (March 22).

Santos' number 10 player posted a video on his Instagram stories to clarify the facts. The athlete stated that he used his free time to compete in online tournaments on the PokerStars platform . He specifically participated in the annual tournament series known as Scoop.

The player's statement was in response to a report by Portal Léo Dias published on Monday. The publication claimed that the striker had dedicated 16 hours to games between Friday and Sunday.

Neymar detailed his routine during the rest period. The online tournaments took place throughout the weekend. The player remained at his residence while Santos faced Cruzeiro in the national competition.

Santos is currently in 16th place in the Brazilian Championship. The team has seven points and is in the first position outside the relegation zone.

"Hey guys, I saw a story going around saying I played poker the other day, that I went somewhere... I didn't go, I stayed home. Yes, I played online , for those who don't know, the Scoop (annual poker tournament series) is happening on PokerStars . And for those who play poker, you know what I'm talking about, I'm very happy with my performance there, I'm doing very well," declared the striker.

The player explained how he used the available time during the load management period. “Unfortunately, I didn’t go to the game these past few days due to load management, so I had this little bit of time to do what I enjoy most outside of football, which is playing a little poker. So, I was there online , I played every day, I stayed up all day. When you play there for a certain amount of time, the tournament, if I’m not mistaken, always ends around 8:30 or 9:00 PM. So, I stayed up all day,” he stated.

Neymar invited his followers to watch his matches online . "I'm very happy and I'm still playing. Go there, hurry up and watch me, we're together and I'm very happy with my performance . That's us," he said.

The Brazilian Championship is on hiatus due to the FIFA international break. The striker continues to participate normally in Santos' training sessions.