Neymar benched, Gabigol starts as Santos face Velo Clube | OneFootball

Santos is officially lined up for the game against Velo Clube this Sunday at 8:30 PM (Brasília time) at Vila Belmiro, for the last round of the Campeonato Paulista. The Peixe needs to win to secure their spot in the quarter-finals of the State Championship.

Neymar Júnior has been listed for the first time in 2026 and will be an option on the bench for coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda. The number 10 was speculated to be in the starting lineup and has a good chance of coming on in the second half.

Gabigol, on the other hand, returns to the starting lineup. The forward did not play midweek against Athletico-PR due to the synthetic pitch at Arena da Baixada. He complained of pain during the week and was rested.

Thus, Santos will take the field with: Gabriel Brazão; Mayke, Zé Ivaldo, Luan Peres, and Vini Lira; Willian Arão, Bontempo, and Barreal; Thaciano, Moisés, and Gabigol.

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Photo: Publicity / Santos

Fight for Qualification

Among the big teams in the state, Santos has the lowest chances of qualifying for the next phase. The Peixe needs to win to keep their chances of securing a spot. Additionally, Vojvoda's team needs the G8 teams to slip up to advance. A draw or a loss will result in elimination.

On the other side, Velo Clube is fighting against relegation. The club from Rio Claro is in the relegation zone and will only escape if they win against Santos, not depending on any other result.

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