For much of the Brazilian Serie A season, it looked like Corinthians were going to walk away with the title. They built up a big lead at the top of Serie A and it appeared they were going to run away with it. However, a dip in form has seen them drop points recently yet no other team has managed to string any results together to challenge them at the top of the table.
The result is Corinthians will come into this match at Botafogo, with just 9 games remaining in the season knowing a win will keep them 9 points clear at the top of the league.
Botafogo Form
Botafogo are in slightly better form then their opponents heading into this match, having won 2 of their last 5 Serie A games. However, they have failed to win in their last 2 outings, losing 1-0 at Vasco da Gama and drawing 1-1 at Avai.
Home form has generally been good and Botafogo have won 4 of their last 5 Serie A matches at the Estadio Nilton Santos, with the only defeat coming against Vitoria at the beginning of October. Both teams have scored in 4 of Botafogo’s last 5 league games and they scored at least once in each of their last 9 home Serie A matches.
Corinthians Form
Corinthians have won only 1 of their previous 5 games in Serie A and if you looked only at their form, you would not believe they hold a 9-point cushion at the top of the league table.
In fact, a closer look at their form shows they have won just 3 of their last 10 Serie A games and if wasn’t for the incompetence of the teams around them, they surely would have been caught at the top of the table by now.
Having said that, despite failing to win many of their recent games, they have lost only 1 of their last 6 in the league, which was a 2-0 defeat at Bahia. Away from home, Corinthians have failed to win any of their last 4, picking up only 2 points.
Corinthians are undefeated in 12 of their last 14 away league games.
Team News
Botafogo will be without attacking midfielder Leonardo Valencia who is suspended but Joel Carli returns following a suspension of his own and should go back into the starting XI. Airton is unavailable due to injury.
Corinthians travel without the suspended midfielder Gabriel and the injured defender Vilson. Pablo is coming back into fitness and may make an appearance on the bench.
Top Betting Tips
Although Corinthians have not been winning many games recently, they have remained difficult to beat and their away record shows them as a team who are prepared to battle for points on the road. With the championship on the line, Corinthians could come away from this match with a point and the draw is 21/10 with Ladbrokes.
Botafogo like to score goals when playing in-front of their own fans but have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 2 home matches. Both teams to score is 21/20 at Ladbrokes.
Corinthians striker Jo has only managed 1 goal in his last 5 games for Corinthians but has 14 to his name this season, 10 of which have been the first goal of the game. Jo is 6/1 with Ladbrokes to open the scoring in this match.