Santos vs Macara - CONMEBOL Sudamericana

The history between Santos and Macara lends this CONMEBOL Sudamericana fixture an extra layer of spice, and when the two walk out at the home ground on August 13, 2026, recent encounters will be on everyone's mind. Catch up with all the action from Chelsea's pre-season clash with AC Milan.

Santos head into the contest positioned 2nd in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana standings, while Macara arrive sitting 1st. It has been a torrid run for the hosts, WDDDD in their last five and a season win rate of just 16.67% that has the alarm bells ringing. Macara have struggled to string results together away from home, DLDDD over their last five with a win rate of 33.33%. Goals could be in short supply or plentiful — Santos average 1.33 per game to Macara's 1, and that gap may dictate the rhythm of the contest. That’s according to Miguel Delaney of the Independent, who also adds that the Gunners remain keen on another world class forward in the form of Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez.

The tactical battle could prove decisive. Santos may lean on their home advantage to dictate the tempo, but Macara have shown they can be dangerous when allowed to play on their own terms. Schalke had only 17 per cent of the possession but, having visited the club to interview their charismatic coach Miron Muslic, that is hardly a surprise.

Individual quality could tip the balance. The league's leading scorer Gabriel Barbosa, with 5 goals to his name this season, is a reminder of the firepower on display. Whoever wins the individual duel between the two sides' chief playmakers is likely to dictate the rhythm and, ultimately, the destination of the points. Chelsea open to loan deal with option for troublesome defender with 42 appearances.

Predicting an outright winner is no easy task given how little separates the two sides on paper. Given the balance of the numbers, Macara look capable of springing a surprise on the road — a 1-2 away victory is a distinct possibility. 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.