Author: Shreyas Sharma
Flamengo vs Athletico Paranaense
Flamengo, under Jorge Sampaoli, go into this weekend’s game in a strong position, occupying a place in the top four of the Serie A table. The team from Rio de Janeiro are coming off the back of a remarkable 2-1 win against league leaders Botafogo in their most recent game before the international break. Their next challenge is to face Athletico Paranaense, a team that has drawn many games this season and is currently outside the top six. With home advantage, Flamengo are the clear favorites in this upcoming clash.
Internacional – São Paulo
Eduardo Coudet, the former Celta de Vigo coach, is currently in charge of Internacional, a team positioned in the bottom half of the Serie A table in the 2023 Brasileirão after 22 games this season. In their most recent match, Internacional drew goalless with Goiás, extending their winless run to ten league games. Their next opponents, São Paulo, are also going through a long period without a win and are firmly positioned in mid-table. Both teams are in poor form, so the match is expected to end in a 1-1 draw.
Fortaleza vs Corinthians
Fortaleza start this weekend’s round of games just below the top six and the Copa Libertadores places. In their most recent match, they lost 1-0 away to a formidable Fluminense side two weeks ago. Their next opponents are Corinthians, a team that has been drawing frequently recently, which has dropped them out of the top 12 and the qualifying positions for the Copa Sudamericana. Fortaleza remain the favorites for this match, especially with home advantage.
Santos vs Cruzeiro
The home side come into this game on the back of a 2-0 defeat against América Mineiro in their most recent match, which took place two weeks ago, just before the international break. Santos have managed just one win in their last eight games and are currently in the bottom four, on the brink of the relegation zone. Their opponents, Cruzeiro, have made a strong return to the top 12 after being promoted last season, sitting in the top half of the table and fighting for a place in the Copa Sudamericana. Considering the circumstances, a double chance bet in favor of the away team seems like a prudent choice for this game.
RB Bragantino – Grêmio (central match of the tour)
RB Bragantino’s recent form includes a goalless draw against Cruzeiro in their most recent match, which took place two weeks ago, before the international break. The home side have been impressive, with just one defeat in their last nine games, taking into account all competitions played over 90 regular minutes. The team will now face Gremio, who, after being promoted last season, are currently in the top four of the league standings. With both in good form, it looks like the game should end in a 2-2 draw.
Coritiba-Bahia
The home side come into this game having lost 3-1 to Fortaleza in their last match, extending their poor run of form. Coritiba have now suffered five consecutive defeats and currently occupy last place in the league standings. Their next opponents, Bahia, drew 1-1 with Vasco da Gama in their most recent match two weeks ago and are also fighting the threat of relegation. Bahia are expected to win this game 2-0.
Cuiabá vs América MG
Cuiabá are currently facing a challenging phase with a four-game losing streak in the Brazilian Serie A, during which they have struggled to find the back of the net. On the other hand, América MG have performed better in their last five games compared to Cuiabá. Looking at the head-to-head record over the last nine games, Cuiabá have won three, drawn two and América MG have won four, giving América MG a goal difference of 10-7. Despite América MG’s current position in 19th place in the standings, it wouldn’t be surprising if they managed to secure a 1-0 win against 10th-placed Cuiabá.
Palmeiras vs Goiás
In the Serie A Brazilian Championship, Palmeiras have achieved an impressive run of three consecutive wins in their home games. In addition, the team has not tasted defeat in its last seven games, underlining its excellent form. Palmeiras boast a strong home record this season, with a record of 7 wins, 2 draws and just 1 defeat. Remarkably, the team managed to keep a clean sheet in seven consecutive matches. Looking at the history of matches, in the last 27 games between Palmeiras and Goiás, Palmeiras have won 12 times, with 4 draws, while Goiás have won 11 times, resulting in a goal difference favorable to Palmeiras of 44-36. It’s worth noting that Goiás last won away from home against Palmeiras in 2015. We expect Palmeiras to win this game comfortably by a margin of 4-0.
Vasco da Gama vs Fluminense
Fluminense are currently on an impressive run, having avoided defeat in their last five games. However, it is worth noting that the team has struggled to score goals in four of its ten away matches in this season’s Serie A Brazilian Championship. On the positive side, Fluminense have managed to score in ten consecutive matches. On the other hand, Vasco da Gama have struggled to score in five of their ten home games in the same league this season. What’s more, considering recent head-to-heads, Fluminense haven’t lost in their last five games against Vasco da Gama. Given the huge disparity in performance between the two teams this season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Fluminense, currently in fifth place, secure a convincing 3-0 win against 18th-placed Vasco da Gama.
Atlético Mineiro-Botafogo
Atlético Mineiro have performed better in their last five games compared to Botafogo. Surprisingly, Atlético Mineiro have struggled to score goals in just one of their ten home matches in this season’s Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A. On the other hand, Botafogo have struggled away from home, failing to secure a win in their last five away games. They have also failed to score in three of their ten away games in the league this season. Looking at their recent head-to-heads, Atlético Mineiro have two wins, while Botafogo have won three of their last five meetings, with no draws. Looking at last season’s matches, Atlético Mineiro won 2-0 at home, while Botafogo won 1-0 when they hosted the match. Despite Botafogo’s leading position in the standings, we predict a close battle resulting in a draw when they face ninth-placed Atlético Mineiro.