Botafogo vs Santos - Serie A

The history between Botafogo and Santos lends this Serie A fixture an extra layer of spice, and when the two walk out at the home ground on July 16, 2026, recent encounters will be on everyone's mind. Manchester United drew 1-1 with Paris Saint-Germain in their fourth pre-season fixture of the summer on Saturday.

Botafogo head into the contest positioned 14th in the Serie A standings, while Santos arrive sitting 10th. The hosts have struggled for consistency, DDLLL in their last five pointing to a win rate of 30.77%. The visitors have been hard to predict on their travels, WWWDW in their last five reflecting a win rate of 34.62%. Goals could be in short supply or plentiful — Botafogo average 1.46 per game to Santos's 1.5, and that gap may dictate the rhythm of the contest. The Reds continue to retain an interest in the midfielder Manu Kone and left-back Lewis Hall, while one remaining high-profile departure this summer could come in the form of Marcus Rashford.

The tactical battle could prove decisive. Botafogo may lean on their home advantage to dictate the tempo, but Santos have shown they can be dangerous when allowed to play on their own terms. Moving the Dane on frees up space and gives the Partenopei greater room to press ahead with their incoming transfer plans.

When K. Viveros is on the pitch — 18 goals to his name this term — moments of magic are never far away, and the Serie A's top scorer will be central to how this one unfolds. How each side deals with the other's danger men — and who takes their chances when they come — will be central to the outcome. City are seeking upwards of £60m for the 30-year-old midfielder, who has entered the final year of his deal.

Without the market to lean on, the contest feels genuinely open — and the outcome may come down to which side handles the occasion better. Despite the home advantage enjoyed by Botafogo, the weight of evidence favours Santos — a 1-2 away win is the call. With the standings tight and form on the line, this is a fixture neither side will want to lose. Manchester City will begin another Premier League season with major uncertainty hanging over the club after league chief executive Richard Masters admitted the long-awaited verdict on their financial case has taken longer than expected.