Santos on alert as thin squad fights relegation amid testing Brasileirão run | OneFootball

Santos enter a testing Brasileirão run and a live relegation fight, visiting Vasco da Gama on Sunday at 16:00 Brasília time. Cuca estimates they need 23 more points from 17 games, having begun the round on 22.

According to Globo.com, Santos are 17th, the first relegation place, on 22 points, with Vasco 18th on the same total but worse goal difference. Two direct duels follow, Vasco away then Mirassol at Vila Belmiro next week.

After last Sunday’s loss to Athletico-PR, Cuca voiced concern over juggling Copa do Brasil and the Copa Sudamericana with a short squad, warning of fatigue and injuries and pointing to a taxing Ecuador trip next Thursday, three hours by bus from Quito. After beating Macará, he prioritised the league and is expected to field his strongest sides against Vasco and Mirassol, then rest players for the return in Ecuador. Santos have seven home dates and 10 away remaining.

At home they still host Mirassol, Cruzeiro, Flamengo, Bahia, Palmeiras, Grêmio and Botafogo. Matching last year’s Vila Belmiro results would bring 12 points, leaving 11 to find away, where this year they have four draws and five defeats in nine.

Selection is strained. Recent absentees are Vinícius Lira, Igor Vinícius, Lucas Veríssimo, Gustavo Henrique, Pepê Fermino and Moisés. Igor Vinícius and Lucas Veríssimo could return against Vasco, but Gabriel Menino and Gabriel Bontempo went off early versus Macará with muscular problems.

Cuca has urged the board to lift the transfer ban and sign reinforcements, though the club is unlikely to act soon, prioritising internal fixes over the market. After Mirassol, Santos visit Corinthians, where they have not won a league game since 2011, with seven draws and six defeats.

Source: Globo.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”