On Tuesday, November 25, 2025, Sport Club Internacional will host Santos FC at Estádio Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre in a match that could define the fate of both clubs’ seasons. With Internacional clinging to 15th place and Santos hovering just below them in 17th, this isn’t just another league fixture—it’s a survival showdown. Kickoff is set for 00:00 UTC, though local fans will be watching at 19:00 on Monday, November 24, a scheduling quirk that’s already sparked debate among supporters. The stakes? For Santos, it’s about avoiding automatic relegation. For Internacional, it’s about escaping the bottom half entirely.
Form and Statistics: A Battle of Fragile Defenses
Sport Club Internacional enters this match with a mixed bag of results: one win, two draws, and two losses in their last five games. They’ve scored an average of 1.15 goals per match, but conceded 1.50—a troubling trend for a team trying to climb the table. Their home record at Estádio Beira-Rio is their only bright spot: 15 wins in 29 matches this season. Still, their last outing—a 1-0 win over Ceará—wasn’t pretty. Patrick’s 23rd-minute strike was the difference, but the defense looked shaky. They’ve allowed six goals in their last six matches, despite averaging 52.5% possession and nearly 461 passes per game.Meanwhile, Santos FC is in freefall. Two wins in their last ten matches, 1.5 goals conceded per game, and a 3-0 thrashing by Mirassol in their most recent outing paint a grim picture. Manager Juan Pablo Vojvoda has tried to impose control—his side averages 53.3% possession—but it hasn’t translated into results. They’ve managed only 3.1 shots on target per game and conceded from 9.7 attempts on average. Five of their last six matches featured a shutout for one side, and their away record is brutal: three losses in their last six road trips.
Head-to-Head History: Internacional’s Psychological Edge
The numbers don’t lie. Since 2020, Sport Club Internacional has dominated Santos FC in head-to-head clashes: six wins, four draws, zero losses. That 7-1 drubbing in October 2023 still echoes in the stands of Beira-Rio. Even when Santos held them to a draw—like the 1-1 stalemate in June 2023—it was rarely pretty. The pattern is clear: both teams score. In six of their last seven meetings, the final scoreline included goals from both sides. That’s the twist here: neither defense can be trusted.
What’s odd? Santos hasn’t beaten Internacional since 2020. That’s five years of frustration. And yet, their manager Vojvoda insists his squad has changed. "We’re not the same team," he told reporters after the Mirassol loss. "We’re more organized. We’ve learned how to fight." But form doesn’t lie. And when you’re conceding 1.6 goals per game on average, organization doesn’t always mean survival.
Betting Odds and Predictions: Who Really Has the Upper Hand?
Bookmakers clearly favor Sport Club Internacional. Odds sit at +110 (48% implied probability), while Santos are underdogs at +265. Windrawwin.com predicts a 2-0 home win, citing home advantage and Internacional’s better shot conversion. EaglePredict.com goes further, forecasting an Internacional lead at halftime—a sign they believe the home side will press early and hard.
But here’s the curveball: Andre Moura, analyst at FootballPredictions.net, called for a 2-1 Santos win back in July. His reasoning? "Santos are desperate. Desperation breeds unpredictability. And Internacional’s defense is too inconsistent to handle that kind of pressure." It’s a bold take, but not without merit. Santos have scored in six of their last seven away games—even if they’ve lost most of them.
Statistically, under 3.5 goals have landed in six of Internacional’s last seven matches. But over 2.5 goals have appeared in five of their last ten home games. So which is it? The truth? Both teams will score. Again. That’s been the script for years now.
Why This Match Matters Beyond the Table
For Santos FC, this isn’t just about points. It’s about legacy. Once the powerhouse of Pelé’s era, they’ve fallen into a spiral of mismanagement, fan disillusionment, and financial instability. A loss here could push them into the relegation zone for good—with only five matches left. Their fans aren’t just hoping for a win; they’re begging for hope.
For Sport Club Internacional, the pressure is quieter but no less real. They’re not in danger of relegation—but they’re also not in contention for anything meaningful. A win here could lift them into the top 12, reigniting fan interest and giving manager Roger Machado breathing room. A loss? It deepens the sense of stagnation.
And then there’s the stadium. Estádio Beira-Rio is a cauldron on matchdays. The roar of 50,000 fans when the ball hits the net? That’s the kind of energy that can carry a team through a rough patch. Santos haven’t won there since 2019. Can they break the spell?
What’s Next? The Final Push
After this match, both teams have five games left. For Santos, every point is gold. For Internacional, every point is a step toward respectability. The winner will gain psychological momentum; the loser will face a long, cold winter of questions.
One thing’s certain: this won’t be pretty. Both defenses are porous. Both attacks are inconsistent. But when desperation meets pride, football gets messy. And beautiful.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does this match affect Santos FC’s chances of relegation?
A loss would likely drop Santos FC into the automatic relegation zone (18th or worse), as they’re currently tied on points with 18th-placed Cuiabá but trail on goal difference. With only five matches left, a defeat here would make survival nearly impossible without winning all remaining games. Even a draw would leave them vulnerable to teams above them.
Why is the Estádio Beira-Rio such a tough venue for Santos FC?
Santos haven’t won at Beira-Rio since 2019, losing six of their last seven visits. The stadium’s steep stands create deafening noise, and Internacional’s fans are known for relentless pressure. Santos’ away form—three losses in six road games—suggests they struggle to handle the atmosphere. Their average of 4.1 corners per away match shows they’re often on the back foot.
What’s the historical trend for goals in this fixture?
In six of the last seven meetings between the two clubs, both teams have scored. The average total goals per match in that stretch is 3.1. Over 2.5 goals have occurred in 71% of their recent clashes. Despite Internacional’s home dominance, their defense has conceded in 80% of their last 10 home games—making a goal fest highly likely.
How do the managers’ tactics differ between the two teams?
Roger Machado favors a possession-based approach, with Internacional averaging 52.5% possession and 461 passes per game. Juan Pablo Vojvoda tries to control the tempo too, but Santos’ passing accuracy is lower (385.6 passes per game) and their shot conversion is worse. While Internacional press high, Santos often sit deep and counter—yet lack the pace to make it work consistently.
Could this match trigger managerial changes?
Absolutely. If Santos lose, pressure on Juan Pablo Vojvoda will intensify—his contract expires in December, and the club’s board is already reviewing options. For Internacional, a loss could end Roger Machado’s tenure. His contract was extended until 2026, but fan sentiment is souring after three consecutive seasons without a trophy or top-10 finish.
What’s the most likely outcome based on data?
The most statistically supported outcome is a 2-1 win for Internacional. Both teams score in 86% of their recent meetings, and Internacional’s home record (15 wins in 29) outweighs Santos’ poor away form. Betting markets favor Internacional, and their higher shot conversion (4.8 on target vs. Santos’ 3.1) gives them the edge in tight games.
Both teams need this win more than anything, but Internacional’s home record is too strong to ignore. Even with their shaky defense, Beira-Rio turns players into heroes. I’m betting on a gritty 2-1 win - Patrick to score again, and Santos clawing one back late. Hope they put on a show.
Football’s beautiful when it’s messy like this.
You know, there’s something almost poetic about how both clubs are drowning in their own contradictions - Internacional, the proud giant with a leaky hull, Santos, the fallen titan still trying to remember how to swim. They’ve both built empires on discipline and flair, and now they’re reduced to scraping points like stray coins from a cracked piggy bank.
The real tragedy isn’t the relegation threat - it’s that the fans still believe. Even when the passes are sloppy, even when the defense forgets its job, even when the manager’s tactics look like a toddler’s scribble - they still show up. And that’s the only thing more powerful than statistics or odds. Human hope. Raw. Unfiltered. Useless. And utterly magnificent.