Preview: Bahia vs. Internacional - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to end their long winless run on the road, Internacional visit Campeonato Brasileiro rivals Bahia at Arena Fonte Nova on Wednesday evening.

Due to a considerable drought away from home, Inter sit closer to Serie A's bottom four than the top six; meanwhile, their hosts are embroiled in a relegation battle.

Match preview

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Aided by an early goal from star striker Enner Valencia in the Porto Alegre derby, Internacional's 3-2 victory over bitter foes Gremio kept the flame dimly flickering on their dreams of a place in next year's Copa Libertadores.

Wanderson and Alan Patrick were also on target for a usually goal-shy Inter side in the 'Grenal' classic, but upon returning from the international break there remains a 10-point deficit to sixth-placed Fortaleza.

While positive performances in the derby and even in a recent Libertadores exit to Fluminense, where the Colorado were beaten 4-3 on aggregate in the semi-finals, will offer coach Eduardo Coudet hope of closing such a gap, there are still major issues to resolve.

Inter last won a Brasileiro game away from home back in June, when they overturned America-MG at Independencia, and they have now started to leak goals at an alarming rate.

Having conceded 10 times in their last five matches, Serie A's worst attacking team really need to keep the back door shut more often. As Coudet's team have scored only 23 league goals - at an average of 0.88 per game - a relegation fight cannot be ruled out.

Occupying 12th place in the standings, Inter can aim to make up ground against several opponents who are also scrapping it out at the wrong end of the table over the weeks ahead: after visiting Bahia, Santos and Vasco da Gama are next on the agenda.

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Two of Inter's meagre goals tally came in May's reverse fixture, when Bahia slumped to a 2-0 defeat in Porto Alegre due to goals from Wanderson and Johnny Cardoso.

Wednesday's hosts have since continued to struggle in Serie A, but they responded to suffering back-to-back defeats at the end of September with a spectacular success last time out.

Kicking off October in style, Rogerio Ceni's side got the better of Goias in a 10-goal thriller at Estadio da Serrinha, as an Everaldo hat-trick helped them run out 6-4 winners.

Just the Tricolor's seventh league win of the season, victory saw them move out of the drop zone and into 16th place, only four points below Internacional.

However, conceding three times in the first half did nothing to improve Bahia's dismal defensive record, and theirs is the fourth-worst throughout the Brasileiro. The Salvador club give up goals at an average of 1.4 per game, so even Inter may fancy their chances of scoring more than once on Wednesday.

Team News

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Eduardo Coudet will have a selection headache to resolve at Arena Fonte Nova, as Internacional travel north without several important players.

Sergio Rochet, Johnny Cardoso, Charles Aranguiz and Enner Valencia are still on duty with their respective national teams, while defensive duo Igor Gomes and Nicolas Hernandez must serve suspensions.

Cardoso, currently representing the USA, could be replaced by either Romulo or Gabriel; Bruno Henrique should deputise for Aranguiz, and Luiz Adriano is set to stand in for Valencia up front.

More positively, former Rennes winger Pedro Henrique is now available after recovering from arm surgery, and Spanish full-back Hugo Mallo returns from suspension.

Bahia, meanwhile, can welcome back midfielder Leo Cittadini, who recently returned to training following a sprained ankle.

The hosts will once again turn to Cauly for inspiration in attack, as two assists in the win over Goias took him onto seven in 36 games since signing for Bahia. In addition to scoring eight times himself, the 28-year-old has now surpassed his number of goal involvements for Ludogorets last season.

Following a hat-trick last time out, Everaldo will also continue up front in a likely 4-2-3-1 formation.

Bahia possible starting lineup:

Marcos; Gilberto, Xavier, Hugo, Candido; Rezende, Cittadini; Ademir, Thaciano, Cauly; Everaldo

Internacional possible starting lineup:

Keiller; Mallo, Vitao, Mercado, Dalbert; Gabriel, B. Henrique; Mauricio, Patrick, Wanderson; Adriano

We say: Bahia 1-1 Internacional

Although derby delight will have boosted confidence in the camp, 10 days on, an Internacional side hit by absences and rarely at their best away from home will surely stumble again. Bahia do not boast the best record at Arena Fonte Nova but have some in-form forwards that could cause Inter trouble.

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