Lucas Lima back at Vila Belmiro for first time since Santos relegation | OneFootball

Santos hosts Sport this Friday for the 36th round of the Brazilian Championship. The match will mark Lucas Lima’s return to Vila Belmiro.

The attacking midfielder from Sport has had two stints with the São Paulo team, the most recent being in 2023, when the team was relegated to Série B. This will be the first time the player returns to Peixe’s stadium after the fateful December 6, 2023.

Lucas Lima in his last appearance at Vila Belmiro, during Santos’ relegation (Photo: Raul Baretta/Santos FC)

New horizons

Lucas Lima was heavily criticized by Santos fans and ended up being loaned to Sport in 2024. Wearing the red-and-black jersey, he was crucial in the campaign for promotion to the top tier.

Last year, however, he missed the match against Santos at Vila Belmiro due to contractual reasons. He played only at Ilha do Retiro and was impeccable in the 3-0 victory, with a goal and an assist.

Former tormentor?

Now, with a permanent contract with Sport, Lucas Lima could hinder Peixe’s plans to stay in Série A. This season, in the first round of the Brasileirão, the midfielder has already punished his former club with a goal in the 2-2 draw in Pernambuco.

The ball will roll on the Vila Belmiro pitch starting at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time). At the moment, Juan Pablo Vojvoda’s team is in 17th place, with 38 points, one less than Vitória, the first team outside the relegation zone. Sport is at the bottom, with 17.

Lucas Lima for Santos

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.