After the first round of the 2026 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, Santos and São Paulo ended up at opposite ends of the standings: the former in the relegation zone, the latter in the Copa Libertadores places. After just one round, all of this is still provisional. The only clear thing is that this is the famous San-São Derby.
Santos
Santos put in a huge effort at the end of last league campaign to save their place in the top flight, winning all of the last three rounds and jumping from 16th to 12th. It seems the players were so exhausted that they are still recovering their energy. In the new year the hosts have hardly been winning. Only in the first round of the Campeonato Paulista did they defeat Grêmio Novorizontino from the Campeonato Brasileiro Série B (2:1). They are now on a six-match winless run (three draws and three defeats).
São Paulo
Interestingly, Santos’s most recent match was away to São Paulo at Estádio do Morumbi, but that meeting was in the Campeonato Paulista. The hosts settled the outcome in their favour within six minutes at the start of the second half, scoring twice. Before that Santos had been reduced to ten men after midfielder Gabriel Menino was sent off in the 36th minute. However, in familiar surroundings Tricolor Paulista can beat even Flamengo, as in the first round, but what about away from home? There, Hernán Crespo’s side have lost five of their last six matches and have picked up only one point, a 1:1 draw with Corinthians Paulista.
Santos vs São Paulo Prediction
So Santos can reasonably hope to take points: none of their three defeats in the new season have come at Estádio Urbano Caldeira (Vila Belmiro). In addition, in 2025 Peixe won both home matches against São Paulo (3:1, 1:0). For insurance, we are backing the Double Chance on Santos under Juan Pablo Vojvoda.
