Santos could enter the game very modified, which is worth a place in the quarter-finals of the Copa Sudamericana. After beating Macará 2-1 at Vila Belmiro, the technical committee began to evaluate which players will be able to face the return match, scheduled for Thursday (20), in Ecuador.
Santos can spare Neymar in the South American final in Ecuador
Santos could enter the game very modified, which is worth a place in the quarter-finals of the Copa Sudamericana. After beating Macará 2-1 at Vila Belmiro, the technical committee began to evaluate which players will be able to face the...
The number 10 played the 90 minutes against Macará, on Thursday (13), and completed an entire match again three days later, in the 3-0 victory over Vasco, in São Januário, for the Brazilian Championship. Cuca has not yet officially confirmed the striker's absence, but explained that the decision will be made based on the physical assessments carried out by...
- The idea is to balance the importance of the South American Championship with the wear and tear caused by the sequence of matches.
- Altitude and travel factor into the decision In addition to the accumulation of minutes, the logistics of getting to Ambato worries Santos.
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Neymar should be one of the starters preserved on the trip. The number 10 played the 90 minutes against Macará, on Thursday (13), and completed an entire match again three days later, in the 3-0 victory over Vasco, in São Januário, for the Brazilian Championship.
Cuca has not yet officially confirmed the striker's absence, but explained that the decision will be made based on the physical assessments carried out by the technical committee. The idea is to balance the importance of the South American Championship with the wear and tear caused by the sequence of matches.
Altitude and travel factor into the decision
In addition to the accumulation of minutes, the logistics of getting to Ambato worries Santos.
The match will be played at the Bellavista Stadium, in a city located at an altitude of approximately 2,500 meters. The delegation will have approximately six hours of flight to Quito and will then face almost three hours of land travel to the departure location.
Cuca also mentioned the possibility of cold and rain during the trip through Ecuador, factors that increase concerns about physical exhaustion. The forecast cited by the coach pointed to temperatures close to 10°C.
Therefore, the technical committee intends to individually analyze the condition of each athlete before deciding who will travel.
Brasileirão remains a priority
The possibility of preserving players is directly linked to Santos' situation in the Brazilian Championship.
Cuca has already stated that staying in Series A is the club's main priority this season. The 3-0 victory over Vasco gave momentum to the team, which reached 25 points and left the relegation zone.
The coach has also highlighted that he does not intend to use the same 11 players in all matches, especially given the short recovery period between matches.
After the decision against Macará, Santos will host Mirassol on Sunday (23), in Série A. Afterwards, they will still have two clashes against Palmeiras in the Copa do Brasil, in addition to new commitments in the Brasileirão.
Santos also deals with physical problems
The definition of the team does not just depend on the choice to preserve starters.
Gabriel Bontempo was left out of the clash against Vasco after presenting a physical problem and could also remain in Brazil. The player's situation continues to be monitored by the medical department.
Lucas Veríssimo, on the other hand, could be an option again. The defender had been carrying out transition work and there was an expectation of resuming activities with the ball.
The scenario demands alternatives from Cuca at a time when Santos is simultaneously competing in the Brasileirão, Copa Sudamericana and Copa do Brasil.
Santos plays for a draw in Ecuador
The advantage gained in Vila Belmiro offers some scope for the coaching staff to manage the squad.
In the first match, Franco Posse opened the scoring after five minutes. Gabigol equalized in the first half, scoring his 100th goal for Santos, and Willian Arão secured the turnaround in the final stage. Neymar provided the assists for both Santos goals.
With 2-1, Santos advances to the quarterfinals with any draw in Ambato. If Macará wins by a goal difference, the classification will be decided on penalties. An Ecuadorian victory by two or more goals eliminates the Brazilian team.
The vacancy also has financial weight. Qualifying for the quarter-finals yields US$700,000, around R$3.6 million, in prize money from Conmebol.
Cuca's challenge, therefore, is to find a balance between seeking qualification in Ecuador and preserving a squad that will have little time to recover before a new decisive sequence in the Brazilian calendar.
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