Santos kick off their Copa Sudamericana campaign away from home this Wednesday, 8 April, when they travel to Ecuador to face Deportivo Cuenca — a club many Brazilian football fans are only now getting to know. It’s a significant fixture for both sides, marking the first-ever official meeting between the two clubs in competitive football.
For Santos, the trip to South America’s Andean highlands is no small task. Deportivo Cuenca play at the Estadio Alejandro Serrano Aguilar, a ground that holds approximately 22,000 supporters and sits in the city of Cuenca — a venue that can be hostile territory for visiting sides unfamiliar with the altitude and atmosphere.
Cuenca as a city has a proud footballing identity, and Deportivo Cuenca sits right at the heart of it. The club carries two well-known nicknames — “Expresso Austral” and “Morlacos” — both deeply tied to the cultural identity of the region. Founded on 24 March 1971, the club wasted no time making its mark, joining Ecuador’s national football league just over a month after being established.
Their rise was remarkably swift. By 1972, Deportivo Cuenca had already earned promotion to Ecuador’s top flight, and within just a few years, they were competing at the highest level the country had to offer. Back-to-back runner-up finishes in 1975 and 1976 confirmed that this was no flash-in-the-pan club — they were here to stay.
Santos Face Deportivo Cuenca in Copa Sudamericana Group D Opener
The defining moment in the club’s history came in 2004, when Deportivo Cuenca claimed their only Ecuadorian league title. It was a championship built on grit and tactical discipline, sealed with a 3-2 away victory over Aucas. Under the guidance of Argentine coach Julio Asad, Cuenca shattered the long-standing dominance of clubs from Quito and Guayaquil — a feat that remains the proudest chapter in their history.
Today, the club is managed by another Argentine, Jorge Célico, who has built a side known more for its defensive organisation than its attacking flair. Early in the current season, Cuenca have struggled to put goals on the board, particularly when up against compact, well-drilled defences. That could be an important detail for Santos heading into Wednesday’s match.
The fixture falls within Group D of the Copa Sudamericana group stage, meaning every point on the table matters from the very first whistle. Santos will be eager to begin their continental campaign with a positive result, though travelling to Ecuador — with all its tactical and environmental challenges — is rarely straightforward for any Brazilian side.
If Santos do come away without maximum points on Wednesday, they’ll have the chance to make it right on home soil. The return leg is scheduled for 26 May at Vila Belmiro, Santos’ iconic coastal stadium, where the Peixe faithful will be expecting a strong showing in front of their own crowd.
As this Copa Sudamericana group stage unfolds, Wednesday’s clash in Ecuador sets the tone for what promises to be a competitive and unpredictable campaign for Santos. How the Brazilian giants handle this first test against a well-organised Deportivo Cuenca side — one with genuine pride in their history and a clear tactical identity under Célico — could say a great deal about Santos’ ambitions in this year’s competition.