Deportivo Cuenca vs Santos prediction 08.04.2026 | Copa Sudamericana

Deportivo Cuenca have mostly been a mid-table team in Ecuador over the previous decade. This season, "El Cuenquita" started the season pretty well, as they are currently in 5th place in Liga Pro with 11 points in seven rounds. In continental competitions, they are definitely not among the better teams, and securing the next phase this year from Group D with San Lorenzo and Santos would be a massive challenge. 

Right full-back Eddie Guevara suffered an injury in the previous game and had to leave the field after 58 minutes. The 36-year-old will most likely be out for the Santos game, but Dep. Cuenca have a few good options in that position, and his absence shouldn't be such a big factor.

While football experts expected a lot from Santos last year after Neymar's arrival, we can safely say the season was a disappointment, as they finished 12th, with Neymar constantly dealing with injuries. However, when he did play, they looked good, and it is evident just how important he is for them. This year, Santos haven't been great in the Paulista state league and have continued to disappoint in Serie A, sitting in 15th place with 10 points from 10 rounds. 

Due to bad performances, the club sacked coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda on 19th March and appointed Cuca as the head coach. Under him, the team recorded one win, one draw, and one loss. 

For the upcoming match, the team will have no new injuries, but the players who missed the previous games should remain sidelined: Vinicius Lira, Mayke, and Gabriel Menino. Meanwhile, Igor Vinicius is questionable due to a hip flexor problem.