Sao Paulo and Fluminense are separated by just three points in the Brazilian Serie A table ahead Saturday’s encounter at Morumbi.
The hosts find themselves eleventh in the standings, while visitors occupy fifth place, although they could be level after this weekend.
Can Fluminense keep the pressure on the top four? Or will Sao Paulo close the gap? It’s time to take a closer look at the teams.
Let's start with the hosts, Sao Paulo, who claimed a 2-0 victory over Tigre in the Copa Sudamericana in midweek.
Thanks to that win, Sao Paulo finished six points clear at the top of Group D, winning five and drawing one of their six group games.
In the Brazilian Serie A, Sao Paulo have recorded five wins, three draws and four losses so far, highlighting their inconsistent start to the domestic season.
That said, Sao Paulo have lost just one of their last six home league games, so they will be confident of picking up another positive result this weekend.
Fluminense, meanwhile, recorded a 1-1 draw with Sporting Cristal in the Copa Libertadores last time out, meaning they finished at the summit of their group.
Consequently, Fluminense head into Saturday’s clash on a four-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, having recorded one win and three draws since their last loss.
Fluminense have lost just three of their 12 league encounters this term, recording three draws and three losses along the way.
When you look at the bigger picture, Fluminense have only lost three of their previous 19 Serie A matches, underlining their strong domestic form.
Head-to-head: It is worth noting that Sao Paulo have failed to win any of their last four league meetings with Fluminense, recording two draws and two defeats.
That said, Sao Paulo have lost just three of their previous 10 league meetings with Fluminense, picking up three wins of their own in that time.
Team news: Sao Paulo’s extensive injury list contains Joao Moreira, Andre Anderson, Igor Vinicius, Talles Costa, Welington, Erison, Jandrei and Alexandre Pato.
Fluminense also have a number of injury absentees at the moment, including Jorge, Keno, Alexsander and Caio Vinicius.
Given Sao Paulo’s strong record on home soil in recent times, the hosts are expected to edge out the visitors on this occasion.
With that in mind, Forebet predicts that Sao Paulo and Fluminense will combine for over 2.5 goals, with the hosts outscoring the visitors.
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