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Santos Faces Venezuela Test in Sudamericana Playoffs
22 Jul
Summary
- Santos plays Universidad Central in Venezuela on Tuesday.
- The return match is scheduled for next Tuesday at Vila Belmiro.
- Neymar continues physical recovery and is unavailable for the match.
Santos is set to resume their campaign this Tuesday, July 21st, traveling to Venezuela to face Universidad Central in the first leg of the Conmebol Sudamericana 2026 round-of-16 playoffs. The crucial return leg is scheduled for the following Tuesday, July 28th, at their home ground, Vila Belmiro. The team that emerges victorious from this tie will proceed to compete against Macará from Ecuador in the tournament's round of 16.
Coach Cuca has implemented changes to the squad for this fixture, introducing Gabriel Menino, João Ananias, Christian Oliva, and Gabriel Bontempo into the starting lineup. These players will replace Igor Vinícius, Luan Peres, Gustavo Henrique, and Willian Arão from their previous match against Botafogo in the Brasileirão. The club is currently navigating a significant financial crisis, marked by several months of overdue image rights payments. Adding to their challenges, Neymar is still unavailable as he continues his physical rehabilitation following his participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
