The Brasileirão Série A fixture between Santos and Esporte Clube Juventude on August 04th, 2025, will be a vital confrontation in the fight for legitimacy. Both teams are under pressure, with Santos in 17th and Juventude in 19th, making this match further important. While Santos is inconsistent, the fact that this match is at home and Neymar Jr. is still on the roster gives them a good opportunity to take advantage of this match.

• Fixture: Santos vs. Juventude

• Competition: Brasileirao Betano - Serie A

• Date: 04th August 2025

• Kick-off Time: 11:00 PM (UTC)

• Venue: MorumBIS Stadium

• Win Probability: Santos 68% | Draw 20% | Juventude 12%

When Santos gained promotion to the top of Brazilian football by winning Serie B last season, they expected that life in Serie A would be a little easier. Santos has not found it easy and has struggled with inconsistency. Currently the team is in the relegation zone, and the record reads:

• 16 games: 4 wins, 3 draws, 9 losses

• Goals For: 15 (0.94 per game)

• Goals Against: 21 (1.31 per game)

Even with their current woe, Santos remain competitive at home. So far Santos has scored 7 goals at home and also has conceded 7 whilst also creating chances; with the combinations of creativity in Neymar and Rollheiser, Santos still carries quality. If Santos can generate any amount of work against Juventude, they could hurt Juventude.

Juventude barely avoided relegation last term but yet again are in a relegation tussle. Their current poor form has dropped them into the 19th position, 4 points adrift of safety. Their record is,

• 15 games: 3 wins, 2 draws, 10 losses

• Goals For: 10 (0.67 per match)

• Goals Against: 32 (2.13 per match)

The concerning aspect of their situation is their away form, where they have lost all 7 matches, managing to concede 24 goals and only score 1. What makes it worse is the fact they can't score at all; let alone being defensively frail away from home makes for grim reading.

• Last Match: 2-2 vs. Sport Recife

• They scored a lot of late goals: 7 beyond the 70th minute this season.

• Have still failed to win in their last 3 league matches

• Last Match: 0-3 vs. Bahia

• Failed to score in last 3 games

• In their last 6 matches, they have conceded 11 goals.

Looking at previous matchups gives Santos the psychological edge:

• Total Matches (since 2007): 13

  • Santos Wins: 7

  • Juventude Wins: 3

  • Draws: 3

• Last Meeting: Santos 4-1 Juventude (10/10/2022)

• Notable stat: Santos are unbeaten at home to Juventude in all 11 previous encounters.

Trends:
• Under 2.5 Goals in 3 of last 5 H2H fixtures
• Both teams scored in 43% of Santos home games
• Juventude have failed to score in 4 of their last 5 away matches

Team News & Expected Lineups
Santos Team News
• Out Injured: Willian Arao (calf), Guilherme (ankle)
• Suspended: Tomas Rincon

Expected Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Gabriel Brazao; Mayke, Luisao, Luan Peres, Joao Souza; Ze Rafael, Joao Schmidt; Rollheiser, Bontempo, Barreal; Neymar Jr.

Juventude Team News
• Out Injured: Rafael Bilu, Rodrigo Sam
• Suspended: Hudson
Expected Starting XI (4-3-3): Gustavo; Reginaldo, Wilker Angel, Marcos Paulo, Marcelo Hermes; Caique Goncalves, Luis Mandaca, Jadson; Gabriel Veron, Gilberto Oliveira, Gabriel Taliari

• Santos will likely press incessantly at the start of the match in an attempt to exploit Juventude's lack of confidence. The creativity in wide areas of Neymar and Rollheiser will be able to camp on Juventude's full backs.

• Juventude will try to stay compact and rely on counterattacks. They are not as dynamic in midfield, and when pressed too high, they can often wilt.

Set-piece situations may be important, especially in light of Santos earning more corners per game due to the width of their attacking shape. Santos may also be weak defensively, as they lost 4 goals in stoppage time after 90 minutes.

• 3 assists so far this season

• Expected to play a central, attacking role

• Can exploit Juventude’s unbalance on the left side

• Has had trouble scoring goals as of late

• Up front with Gilberto, he must lead.

• He will anchor the Santos midfield in the absence of Rincon.

• He will take on the duty of breaking any Juventude counterattacks.

• The last few H2Hs have featured low totals.

• Juventude struggles to score on the road + Santos plays cautiously, which could lead to fewer goals.

• Great at home in first halves

• Juventude gives up early goals whenever they travel.

• Central piece in attack

• Facing a leaky defense that has given up 24 goals away from home

• Santos can spread the field wide for lots of results, leading to lots of corners.

• Juventude need to defend against attacks, which leads to more corners given away.

• The club’s history of both teams suggests cards will be high in a match.

• Highly contested match with points in play, likely to be heated

Santos hasn't been the most consistent side, but they should manage this game clearly against a weak and goal-shy Juventude.

• Prediction: Santos 2 v 0 Juventude

• Santos have quality in their attack, players like Neymar that can create

• Juventude come with the worst away record, 7 games, and have surrendered 24 goals.

• To benefit Santos's set pieces and possession football on display.

This may be a pivotal match for both teams. Santos should take advantage of the fact that they are at home and that Juventude has typically struggled on the road to escaping the relegation zone. A comfortable performance here, especially from Neymar and co., should take a bit of heat off Cléber Xavier.

On the flip side, Juventude need to reconsider their methods and regain their attacking groove if they want to survive this season.