Santos drop Portugal camp, plan Brazil friendlies before Brasileirão return | OneFootball

Santos have cancelled a planned mid-season camp in Portugal and are exploring home friendlies before competition resumes. They are due back against Botafogo in the Campeonato Brasileiro.

According to Globo.com, the initial plan was to travel in early July for games with Gil Vicente and Vitória de Guimarães, plus a training match with Santa Clara, and a Benfica fixture was being discussed. President Marcelo Teixeira and the football department are studying a domestic schedule of training and friendlies.

The rethink followed the CBF signalling that the Botafogo game could be brought forward because of calendar changes linked to the Copa Sudamericana play-off. With Santos set to face Universidad Central of Venezuela on 21 July, the league match has been set for 16 July, before the end of the World Cup. Confirmation of the new date arrived on Monday.

Staff and organisers had agreed a longer overseas trip with several friendlies and training sessions, but the advanced dates meant the team could not stay in Portugal to stage the games. The Brazilian football calendar, particularly in a World Cup year, required adjustments.

Santos plan to use the 24 days between returning from holiday and their first match back to sharpen fitness and rebuild rhythm. The aim is a more robust preparation and to avoid a repeat of the injury problems that hit the first half of the year.

Source: Globo.com