Santos are expected to restore Neymar and Gabigol to the starting eleven when they host Mirassol at Vila Belmiro in round 24 of the 2026 Brasileiro, in a match that could have real weight at both ends of the table.
Cuca is also expected to call on Igor Vinicius and Barreal from the start, a sign that Santos are leaning on experience and quality after a busy week that included continental football and a 3-0 away win over Vasco in the Brazilian Championship.
Why Santos want their key names back
The return of Neymar and Gabigol matters because Santos are trying to move further clear of the relegation zone on 25 points. They have handled a demanding stretch reasonably well, with wins over Macara and Vasco helping to steady the picture after a difficult spell.
Against Macara, Santos won 2-1 at Vila Belmiro before drawing 0-0 in Ecuador to reach the Copa Sudamericana quarter-finals. That was a useful reminder that the squad can compete on more than one front, but league points still remain the priority.
With Neymar and Gabigol expected back, Santos will hope to add sharper attacking control in a fixture that may not be decided by volume of possession alone. The bigger issue is whether the side can keep enough balance after a hectic week and avoid giving Mirassol encouragement early on.
Mirassol arrive under pressure
Mirassol come into the game as the first team inside the relegation zone with 23 points, which makes this a direct survival contest as much as a routine league fixture. Their form has been mixed, and the heavy 5-1 defeat to Flamengo in the previous round will not have helped confidence.
There is also the issue of fatigue. Mirassol were involved in continental football earlier in the week, drawing 0-0 with LDU Quito in normal time in Quito before being eliminated 5-4 on penalties in the Libertadores last-16 stage.
Rafael Guanaes described that display as “close to perfect from a strategic standpoint”, which underlines how close Mirassol have been to producing results in demanding circumstances. Even so, the table tells a harder story, and they now face a Santos side with more momentum and the added boost of bigger names returning.
A game that could shape the relegation picture
This is exactly the sort of match that can change the tone of a season. Santos can open a more comfortable gap above the bottom three, while Mirassol know that a positive result would be valuable after dropping into 17th place.
Both teams have already shown they can cope with pressure in different competitions this week. On Sunday, though, the focus is purely on the Brazilian Championship, and Santos will feel this is the moment to turn returning quality into a result that matters in the table.
