Santos Faces Crucial Copa Sul-Americana Showdown Against Deportivo Cuenca Without Neymar

Santos is set to face Deportivo Cuenca in the final round of Group D in the Copa Sul-Americana at Vila Belmiro on May 26, 2026, with the kickoff at 21:30 Brasília time. The match is a pivotal one for Santos, currently last in the group with four points, as they need a victory and hope for Deportivo Recoleta to lose to San Lorenzo to advance to the playoffs. Santos can no longer top the group, so progression hinges entirely on favorable results. On the other hand, Deportivo Cuenca, positioned second with six points, aims to win to secure the group’s top spot and direct advancement to the round of 16.

The Santos squad will be without star forward Neymar, sidelined due to a calf edema and out for the semester, as he prepares for the World Cup starting training on May 27. Despite some fitness concerns, goalkeeper Gabriel Brazão will start despite experiencing lower back pain, having passed mobility tests after briefly being replaced in training by Diógenes. Another key defensive absence for Santos is Lucas Veríssimo, suspended after accumulating three yellow cards, but Álvaro Barreal returns to the starting lineup.

Coach Cuca’s probable lineup includes Brazão in goal, defenders Igor Vinícius, Adonis Frías, Luan Peres, and Escobar, midfielders Willian Arão, Gustavo Henrique, Rollheiser, and Gabriel Bontempo, alongside forwards Gabigol and Barreal. Deportivo Cuenca will likely field players including Facundo Ferrero and Jorge Ordóñez.

Santos’ recent form has been challenging, with a 3-2 loss to Grêmio in the Brazilian Championship, keeping them in the relegation zone domestically. The stakes are high as Santos look to revive their Copa Sul-Americana campaign. The match will be live broadcasted on SBT and streaming service Paramount+ for fans eager to follow every moment.

This critical fixture underlines the importance for Santos to maximize home advantage and capitalize on their lineup despite injury setbacks, as their continuation in the tournament depends on overcoming Deportivo Cuenca and receiving a favorable outcome from another group match.