Santos vs Palmeiras

Santos host Palmeiras in the second leg of a Copa do Brasil quarterfinal, with a semifinal spot on the line. Palmeiras currently top the Brasileirão table, while Santos sit in the lower half, still shaking off an early-season relegation scare — making this cup run a rare chance for Peixe to salvage something from 2026. Palmeiras have been up and down lately — a draw with Internacional, a loss at Fluminense, then a 4-1 rout of Vasco — led by top scorer Flaco López and playmaker Andreas Pereira. Santos have trended better, backing a loss to Athletico-PR with a 3-0 win at Vasco, built around captain Neymar, whose season has been stop-start through injury, and finisher Gabriel. The sides have met just twice before in the Copa do Brasil: the 1998 semifinal, decided by away goals in Palmeiras's favor, and the unforgettable 2015 final, where Palmeiras came from behind to win on penalties after Santos took the first leg. Our prediction: 1-1