Santos faces Bahia this Saturday, October 24, 2026, at 9 p.m. Brasília time at the Vila Belmiro stadium for the 32nd round of the Brazilian Championship. Star forward Neymar is confirmed to start for manager Cuca’s squad, which is targeting a victory to climb closer to the qualification zone for the 2027 Copa Libertadores.
The match serves as a crucial direct clash in the upper half of the league standings. Santos enters the fixture in eighth place with 45 points, while Bahia sits just ahead in seventh place with 49 points, according to reports from Terra. A win at home would pull the club within a single point of Bahia, whereas a defeat could stretch the gap to seven points. Neymar is confirmed by the coach after presenting no physical problems throughout the week.
Neymar is expected to anchor an offensive quartet alongside Philippe Coutinho, Everton Cebolinha, and Gabigol. This setup mirrors the tactical formation utilized in the previous round during a 2-1 away victory over Fluminense, as detailed by UOL. Cuca made a point of emphasizing the importance of the fixture to his group during Thursday training activities at the Rei Pelé training center.
Confirmed Lineup and Key Absences
Manager Cuca will have to deal with a significant injury list when assembling his matchday squad. The team is dealing with six confirmed absentees due to physical issues: defender Lucas Veríssimo, left-back Escobar, midfielder Willian Arão, midfielder Arthur, goalkeeper Gabriel Brazão, and lateral Vinicius Lira. Escobar, Willian Arão, and Arthur continue their recoveries from injuries, while Gabriel Brazão and Vinicius Lira are sidelined and not expected to return for the remainder of the season. Meanwhile, Lucas Veríssimo is not anticipated to remain sidelined for an extended period.
The most pressing change from the team that beat Fluminense involves the central defense. Lucas Veríssimo sustained a left thigh muscle injury during the previous fixture, clearing the path for 19-year-old defender João Alencar to step into the starting lineup alongside Luan Peres. The attacker Barreal remains deployed out of position as a left-back.
The probable Santos lineup features Diógenes in goal; Rodinei, João Alencar, Luan Peres, and Barreal across the back; Gustavo Henrique, Gabriel Bontempo, Philippe Coutinho, and Everton Cebolinha in the midfield; with Neymar and Gabigol leading the attack.
Match Context and the Race for the Libertadores
The current structure of the Brazilian Championship awards four direct qualification spots for the group stage of the Copa Libertadores, plus one berth in the preliminary second phase. However, the initial five spots could expand to nine berths depending on the concluding results of the finals for the Copa do Brasil, Copa Sudamericana, and Copa Libertadores.
Bahia’s probable starting eleven for the Saturday night encounter includes Ronaldo in goal; Marcos Victor, David Duarte, Marco Moreno, and Luciano Juba in defense; Acevedo, Rodrigo Nestor, and Erick in the center of the pitch; with Kike Oliveira, Erick Pulga, and Alejo Veliz composing the attack under manager Rogério Ceni.
Match Officials and Broadcast Details
The officiating crew for the Vila Belmiro clash is led by referee Sávio Pereira Sampaio from the Distrito Federal. He will be assisted on the sidelines by Bruno Raphael Pires from Goiás and Acácio Menezes Leão from Pará. Tarcísio Nascimento Matos serves as the fourth official, while the video assistant referee duties are assigned to Paulo Renato Moreira da Silva Coelho from Rio de Janeiro.
Television and streaming coverage for supporters across Brazil includes live broadcasts on Sportv for closed television networks and the Premiere pay-per-view platform.
