Remo host Santos at the Mangueirão on 19 September 2026, a fixture that means something entirely different to each side. Remo sit 19th in the Brasileirão Série A with 23 points from 27 matches, five points adrift of safety, whereas Santos are 10th with 35 points from 26 games, trying to refocus after their Copa Sul Americana exit on penalties against Atlético MG.
Thiago Carpini was appointed Remo coach on 16 September, replacing Léo Condé and has not had a single training session before this game - which makes the managerial imbalance here unusually raw. Cuca, who took over at Santos on 19 March 2026 after Juan Pablo Vojvoda's departure, brings considerably more experience navigating high pressure away assignments and the two have never met as managers before now.
Remo arrive without a win in five: a 2-1 defeat at Bahia on 14 September, a 1-0 home loss to Flamengo on 6 September and a 3-2 reverse at Coritiba on 31 August. Santos have been more variable but more potent, beating Cruzeiro 2-1 in the league on 12 September before the penalty heartbreak against Atlético MG four days later.
Matheus Felipe is suspended through accumulated bookings, Mayk is out with a calf injury and João Lucas remains sidelined by knee ligament damage, forcing Carpini into a back line reshuffle before he has even run a session. Santos are also shorthanded, with Neymar sidelined by a hamstring and thigh problem reported in early September, Everton suspended for yellow card accumulation and Álvaro Barreal out with a hamstring injury.
Remo typically line up in a 4-2-3-1 and with three defenders unavailable, Carpini will likely tighten the midfield screen and look to wide outlets on the break. Jajá, who can operate as a box to box midfielder or second striker, has around seven goals this season and will look to exploit space behind Santos' advanced full backs, while Alef Manga offers a physical presence up front and Yago Pikachu provides another outlet on the flank. Felipe's suspension removes their main aerial option at corners, which hurts a side already being asked to defend with a reshuffled back line.
Santos prefer a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 and without Neymar and Everton, Cuca needs Gabriel Menino's versatility to cover across the back line and midfield. Barbosa leads the line and the battle between Pikachu's directness and Santos' left sided defensive pairing is probably where the game gets decided in the first half. Remo's best hope is staying compact long enough for Santos to grow impatient, then hitting on the counter, though without Neymar, Santos may send more direct service toward Barbosa rather than wait for openings to develop.
Santos have had the better of Remo in recent meetings, winning 2-0 in the April 2026 Série A clash and progressing past them in the Copa do Brasil with a 1-0 win and a 0-0 draw in August 2026, making it two wins and a draw from three meetings with Remo yet to beat them.
The prediction here is Santos 2-1 Remo. Remo's defensive absences make it very hard to contain Santos' attacking rotation for ninety minutes and the home side may well score from a set piece or a counter involving Jajá and Pikachu but a narrow Santos win looks the most likely outcome.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
