Preview:Sport Recife vs Santos - prediction, team news, lineups

Two sides desperate to spark life into their faltering campaigns will face off on Saturday when Sport Recife play host to Santos at Estadio Adelmar da Costa Carvalho in round 18 of the Brasileiro Serie A.

Both clubs find themselves in the thick of the relegation scrap, with hosts rooted to the bottom of the table on just four points, while Santos sit 17th, two points adrift of safety.

Match preview

Sport Recife earned a rare positive result in midweek, drawing 2-2 away to Vitoria to halt a run of two successive defeats. Romarinho's brace secured only their fourth point of the campaign, though Daniel Paulista's men remain without a win since returning to the top flight.

The Lions of the Island continue to struggle at both ends of the pitch, having scored just four goals in their last 10 league matches, while conceding 15 over the same period.

At home, their problems have been particularly stark; they are winless in six matches at Estadio Ilha do Retiro, with four defeats and just two goals scored. Their last home outing saw them narrowly lose 1-0 to Botafogo, despite having more shots on target and nearly 50% of possession.

While there may be some encouragement from their recent record in this fixture, Sport are unbeaten in the last four head-to-heads, including a 2-1 home win in last year’s Serie B.

Confidence remains low among supporters, with relegation looking increasingly likely unless their form changes dramatically.

Santos, meanwhile, have also endured a frustrating campaign, sitting 17th in the table with 14 points, level with Vasco da Gama but behind on goal difference.

Cleber Xavier’s side fell to a 2-1 defeat against Internacional in midweek, following on from a disappointing 3-0 thrashing away at Mirassol. The back-to-back losses have dragged the club back into the drop zone, just weeks after impressive wins over Vitoria, Fortaleza, and Flamengo had suggested a possible resurgence.

Goals have been hard to come by for the Alvinegro Praiano, who are averaging just 0.7 per game over their last 10 matches. Their top scorers in the league, Alvaro Barreal (4) and Guilherme Augusto (2) have lacked consistent support, while the team as a whole have failed to capitalise on dominant spells in possession, particularly in the final third.

On the road, Santos remain inconsistent, with three defeats in their last six away league matches. However, narrow wins at Fortaleza and Vitoria in May-June showed that they are capable of grinding out results when needed. Their average of 48.2% possession and 11.3 shots conceded per game points to vulnerabilities defensively, yet they have still conceded fewer goals than most of the bottom five.

Despite their recent dip, Santos will see this fixture as an opportunity to climb out of the bottom four and restore some momentum. With Neymar Jr. expected to lead the line behind Deivid Washington and Barreal, and with a near full-strength squad available, the visitors will hope to rediscover the cutting edge that briefly lifted them out of trouble last month.

Sport Recife Brasileiro form:

L D L L L D

Sport Recife form (all competitions):

D L D L L D

Santos Brasileiro form:

W L W W L L

Santos form (all competitions):

W L W W L L

Team News

Daniel Paulista faces a few selection headaches ahead of the fixture, with key players missing through injury. Defender Hereda remains unavailable due to a pubic bone bruise, while forward Pablo has been sidelined by a calf issue. Midfielder Ze Roberto is also ruled out as he continues his recovery from a knee ligament injury.

Beyond those absences, the squad is in relatively good shape. There are no fresh injury concerns or suspensions, leaving the manager with a largely fit group to choose from for the upcoming clash.

Santos boss Cleber Xavier has no fresh injury or suspension issues to contend with and is expected to name a strong starting lineup.

With Neymar Jr. expected to lead the line behind Deivid Washington and Barreal, and with a near full-strength squad available, the visitors will hope to rediscover the cutting edge that briefly lifted them out of trouble last month.

Sport Recife possible starting lineup:

Franca; Alexandre, Thyere, Menezes, Carius; Rivera, Lucas, Lima; Lacerda, Ramírez, Barletta

Santos possible starting lineup:

Brazao; Escobar, Basso, Peres, Souza; Rafael, Schmidt; Rollheiser, Neymar Jr, Barreal; Washington

We say: Sport Recife 0-1 Santos

Neither side come into this match with confidence, but Sport Recife's dismal home form and inability to convert possession into goals could prove decisive.

Santos, despite their inconsistencies, have shown glimpses of quality on the road and may just have enough to edge a cagey affair.

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