Preview: Santos vs San Lorenzo – prediction, team news, lineups

Saints host Saint Lawrence on Wednesday in matchday 5 of the 2026 Copa Sudamericana, understanding that solely a win will maintain their hopes of topping Group D alive.

The sides beforehand met on matchday three, enjoying out a 1-1 draw. Another shut contest is predicted, particularly with Santos dealing with important harm issues. Neymarwho was lately referred to as up by Ancelotti for the nationwide team, is a serious doubt.

Match preview

Santos face San Lorenzo once more, this time at Vila Belmiro. The state of affairs is just like the primary assembly, with Santos prone to be with out key gamers—most notably Neymar, who suffered a proper calf harm in opposition to Coritiba and is unlikely to be match.

In the primary assembly, in Buenos Aires, Santos fell behind however leveled earlier than half-time: Cuello opened the scoring within the twenty seventh minute earlier than Gabriel Barbosa — Gabigol — made it 1-1 5 minutes later.

Rooted to the underside of Group D, Santos have simply three factors from 4 video games—three attracts and one defeat. A win might carry them right into a extra favorable place, probably as excessive as second or first relying on objective distinction and different outcomes. The stress is due to this fact immense; solely a victory retains their qualification hopes alive going into the ultimate spherical.

The home image is equally troubling. Santos suffered a 3-0 defeat to Coritiba last time outa match marked by controversy involving Neymar. The No. 10 was mistakenly substituted after the fourth official confused the quantity displayed by the teaching workers—it ought to have been Gonzalo Escobar who got here off, however Neymar’s quantity was proven as a substitute. The consequence left Santos sixteenth within the Brazilian on 18 factors, degree with Corinthians, who occupy the relegation zone.

Amid the turbulence, Neymar lately obtained some welcome information: Carlo Ancelotti referred to as him up for the 2026 World Cup, ending one of many greatest debates surrounding Brazil’s squad. The announcement was made on the Museu do Amanha in Rio de Janeiro, at a CBF-organized ceremony attended by round 1,200 friends — together with former gamers, executives, artists, influencers and politicians — an unprecedented format for a nationwide team name-up.

San Lorenzo arrive at Vila Belmiro as Group D leaders on six factors, having fun with a much more snug place. With solely the highest team advancing on to the final 16, a draw retains the Argentines effectively positioned heading into the ultimate spherical. The stress is firmly on Santos: whereas San Lorenzo can afford to be cautious, Santos should take dangers.

However, San Lorenzo’s latest home type provides one other layer. They had been knocked out of the 2026 Torneo Apertura by River Plate on penalties after a 2-2 draw within the spherical of 16. That setback might both dent their confidence or inspire them to safe prime spot within the group.

Both Santos and San Lorenzo have struggled in assaults at instances this season, resulting in tight, low-scoring matches. Their latest head-to-head file displays this: their final assembly ended 1-1 within the present Sudamericana marketing campaign, whereas their earlier encounter noticed a 2-2 draw within the 2021 Copa Libertadores in Brasilia.

For San Lorenzo, a draw can be a helpful consequence. For Santos, nevertheless, it isn’t sufficient—enjoying at residence, they have to win to maintain their qualification hopes alive.

Santos Copa Sudamericana type:

Santos type (all competitions):

San Lorenzo Copa Sudamericana type:

San Lorenzo type (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago / Sports Press Photo

Alexi Stival faces a range headache. The essential concern is Neymar, who’s fighting a proper calf harm and isn’t anticipated to start out. Luan Peres can also be dominated out after taking a ball to the face; The middle-again will observe a strict restoration protocol earlier than returning to coaching.

Gustavo Henrique, solely lately again from harm, has once more felt ache in his proper thigh and was substituted, making him a recent doubt. Escobar is in an analogous state of affairs: he felt ache behind his left thigh and requested to return off, however on account of an officiating error, he stayed on the pitch till full-time regardless of being injured.

San Lorenzo additionally has important absentees. Luciano Vietto is sidelined with a tendon harm, whereas Gaston Hernandez suffered an ACL harm and isn’t anticipated again till yr’s finish. Cerutti and Nahuel Arias full the checklist of accidents for the guests.

Santos doable beginning lineup:

Brazao; Igor Vinicius, Verissimo, Frias, Ananias; Willian Arao, Christian Oliva, Bontempo; Rollheiser, Gabigol, Barreal

San Lorenzo doable beginning lineup:

Gill; Herrera, Romana, Montenegro; Tripichio, Insaurralde, Rattalino, De Ritis; Neck, Auzmendi, Neighborhoods

We say: Santos 1-1 San Lorenzo

A draw seems the most definitely consequence, particularly given the latest head-to-head between these groups. Santos themselves lately toughened a run of 5 straight attracts, exhibiting a aspect able to creating and scoring but additionally susceptible to conceding. That pattern factors to a different low-scoring encounter—at most two objectives—which has been the case in 5 of Santos’ final six matches.

San Lorenzo confirmed an analogous sample, having hit the each-groups-to-rating market in three of their final 4 matches—reinforcing the expectation of objectives at each ends. After a home cup exit, they arrive with much less confidence, however their snug place within the group might immediate a managed strategy. The most definitely state of affairs, due to this fact, mirrors the primary assembly: a 1-1 draw.

For information evaluation of the most definitely outcomes, scorelines and extra for this match please click here.

Vote within the 2025-26 Sports Mole Readers’ Awards!

Cast your votes for the 2025-26 Sports Mole Reader Awards’ beneath – decide your Premier League participant of the season, worst signing of the season, European participant of the season and extra.

Voting can be open till 11pm on Sunday, May 24and the winners can be introduced on Monday, May 25!