If Sao Paulo are to claim some honours this season, Santos is the one they have to face.

Can Sao Paulo take the dark horse away from home? Ricardo was not sure of victory. But he will do everything in his power to curb Santos' momentum as well.

"Twin Stars Matchup", this is the title used in the latest edition of Scoreboard to predict the Santos vs São Paulo matchup.

Robinho and Diego are the twin stars of Santos, with the 17-year-old being a midfielder who is imaginative in passing and running, as well as having the ability to score on his own, he is the equivalent of Santos' Kaka.

The 18-year-old Robinho is like Santos' Ricardo. He was known for his pleasing technique and was known as the "New Bailey", "a world-class master dribbling". But to put it bluntly, it's "fancy", too many flashy actions. But in Brazil, where the defensive tactics are lagging behind, his style of play is quite open, even more popular than Ricardo's.

The duo have combined 16 goals for Santos at this season's national championships.

Statistically, it doesn't compare to the combination of Kaka and Licador. Kaka and Ricardo have already contributed 27 goals to Sao Paulo in the national championship.

But the scoreboard says the gap isn't as big as people think.

Despite beating Santos and winning the state league in the first half of the year, São Paulo has shown good form by winning all of their last few matches.

However, Santos has home advantage and their average age is only 22, so fitness has the upper hand.

So in this battle of the twin stars, it is very likely that Robinho and Diego will have the last laugh.

Ricardo just smiled lightly. He has absolute confidence that Robinho and Diego, the twin stars who have risen rapidly but have never reached the desired heights, will definitely not be as good as himself and Kaka.

Robinho and Diego have not developed well since arriving in Europe, they have the characteristics of typical Brazilian players, with deft pace and skill, playing pleasing artistic football, but struggling to adapt to the more defensive, tactical, discipline and running of modern European football.

Robinho joined Real Madrid in 2005 for a whopping €24 million, wearing the number 10 shirt, and has had a highlight performance, but has never lived up to expectations. It was later bought by Manchester City for a record transfer fee of 42 million euros in the Premier League, becoming the target in 2008.

But at Manchester City, he gradually lost his place in the main team, was loaned back to Santos, and then moved to the declining AC Milan, where he had a brief revival, helping AC Milan to a league title before falling off quickly. Then to the Super League gold panning. In 2017, he was prosecuted by Italian prosecutors for **** crime and sentenced to 9 years in prison.

Diego's growth trajectory is not so tortuous, he is considered the core of the Brazilian team's midfield for the next ten years, he transferred to Porto in 04, but did not play, and then came to Bremen in the Bundesliga, after several seasons of ups and downs, finally adapted to European football, and transferred to Juventus in 09 for 24.5 million. But at Juventus, he failed to prove himself again, and his value fell off a cliff. Then he went to Wolfsburg and Atletico Madrid, Fenerbahce, and completely disappeared from everyone.

Such a "twin star", the peak of his career is only the intercontinental level, why should he be compared with Kaka, and why should he be compared with himself!

Kaka has also won at least one "World Footballer of the Year", a Golden Ball. The pair of "twin stars" were empty-handed.

As for yourself? Ricardo isn't sure if he'll be a world-class star, but he should have no problem reaching the top of the continental level.

On the day of the match, the entire São Paulo team took a bus in the morning to the city of Santos, southeast of the city of São Paulo, which is also located in the state of São Paulo.

The journey was about 100 kilometers, and after 20 kilometers of congested city traffic, the players were greeted by a beautiful green hill.

After passing through a light tunnel that is more than ten kilometers long, when the light shines in front of you, what is imprinted in your eyes is the rippling lake, which is clear and soft like the autumn waves of a peerless beauty.

Even the most energetic players are quiet at this time and enjoy the scenery of the lake and mountains.

Santos is a small city with a population of only 400,000, but the white sand beaches and resort hotels and villas are comparable to those of Rio de Janeiro, and have a clean and comfortable atmosphere that Rio de Janeiro does not have.

However, the São Paulo players are clearly not here for a holiday, and after a two-hour break at the hotel, they can't wait to get used to the field.

Rico, who has been starting several games in a row, seems quite active, constantly telling jokes, and his mood is quite relaxed.

Ricardo had to remind him to train hard so as not to warm up properly and get injured during the game.

"It's all right," Rico said triumphantly, "Santos, how could it be our opponent." ”

"That's it," Fabiano said, "you haven't been in the first team in the first half of the year, so I don't know, we played them in the state league. That team was too young and immature. ”

The teammates seem to be a bit underestimated, which is not a good sign. But Ricardo couldn't say much, and he wasn't a locker room leader. The age of 16 is too young after all, and although he has earned a starting spot and is loved and respected by his team-mates with his performances, he is still a man of few words in the dressing room.

Look around the city of Urbano, which can accommodate 20,000 fans. Caldera Stadium, Ricardo took a deep breath.

This is a place that once witnessed legends. In 1964, the football king Pele scored eight goals with his head kick in Santos' 11-0 win over Botafogo, creating a football myth.

It was also on this stadium that the king of football Pele held his farewell match, announcing the end of an era.

If nothing happens, the stadium will also see the resurgence of Santos at the end of this year, and witness the great revival of the Santos Youth Army.

But it was an accident.

I have come to this era, and I must bring something different to this era. Let's start by taking away this trophy from Santos.

"What are you thinking?" A hand was placed on Ricardo's shoulder.

Ricardo turned around, and Kaka smiled shyly at him.

Ricardo smiled: "I'm wondering how this 'Twin Stars Showdown' that the media hyped up will end." ”

Kaka's eyebrows raised: "Do you still need to ask, of course it will end with our victory." ”

"That's what I thought too." Ricardo stretched out his arm, and Kaka grabbed him under his elbow and shook it vigorously.