Cruzeiro host Palmeiras in the highlight clash of the 11th round, set to decide the leader in Serie A. Will Palmeiras' recent loss cost them the top of the table, or will they extend their unbeaten streak against Cruzeiro?
After years of turmoil, it appears Cruzeiro have found some solutions and the team is back where it belongs – in contention for the title. And especially after getting eliminated from the Copa Sudamericana as early as the group stage, the Fox can now focus entirely on the domestic league. And despite the poor performance on the international stage, Cruzeiro boast a 10-match unbeaten streak, which should bring in some confidence ahead of this huge derby.
Palmeiras have been in pole position since the start of the season, but their recent 0-2 loss to Flamengo RJ left the door open for the teams behind them to make a stand and Cruzeiro sit just two points behind. But Palmerias bounced back immediately by trashing Sporting Cristal 6-0 in the Copa Libertadores, with which they won their group with six out of six wins. The 12-time champions will want to extend their lead at the top once more, and the H2H record favours them to succeed.
How the bookies view it: Difficult to predict
Calculating the odds for this fixture must have been hard, as the two teams have been brilliant lately. Palmeiras extend their streak of being the betting favourites, although the odds are quite close this time – 9/4 for Cruzeiro next to 3/2 for Palmeiras. The draw is also available at 19/10.
Recent head to head: Palmeiras won four of the last five
Palmeiras have a significant advantage in the H2H record, as mentioned at the start. The Big Green have been the most successful Brazilian team in recent years and this translates into the H2Hs too. Palmeiras won six of the last 10 meetings, while Cruzeiro managed it only twice, the most recent example dating back to 2018. This means that Palmeiras are on an 8-match unbeaten streak against the Fox.
Players to watch: This is Jorge's season
Kaio Jorge is finally starting to prove why Cruzeiro paid Juventus 7.2 million euros last year. The 23-year-old is the team's top goalscorer in Serie A with six goals in nine appearances. This ranks him third overall in the league among the top goalscorers and tied-second for overall goal contributions.
Probable line-ups
Cruzeiro: Aragao, Fagner, Jonathan, Walace, Prates, Rhikman, Gamarra, Pereira, Eduardo, Kenji, Diaz
Palmeiras: Lomba, Rocha, Fuchs, Micael, Vanderlan, Rios, Moreno, Estevao, Veiga, Mauricio, Lopez
Anything else catch the eye?
While Palmeiras have dominated the rivalry over the past few seasons, the situation feels different this time. Cruzeiro are riding a 10-match unbeaten streak in all competitions and have won four of their last five outings in the league. At the same time, it is hard to dismiss the nine wins in a row Palmeiras have on the road.
The Big Green scored at least one goal in 19 of their last 20 away games and we have zero doubt they will find the net at least once against Cruzeiro. In fact, the outcome we fancy the most includes goals from both sides, although we've already seen a fair number of 0-0s from Cruzeiro. But this time, we are going for a 1-1 draw, as we see the teams as far closer in abilities than before.
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