Preview: Coritiba vs Chapecoense - prediction, team news, lineups

Coritiba and Chapecoense meet on Sunday at Estadio Major Antonio Couto Pereira in round 22 of the Brasileiro. The match features two clubs promoted together from Serie B in 2025, but who now find themselves in very different positions in the top flight of Brazilian football.

Coritiba sit 11th on 27 points, five clear of the relegation zone, and are looking to capitalise on home advantage to secure some breathing room in the table.

Chapecoense, by contrast, are bottom of the table with ten points from 20 rounds, sitting 12 points adrift of safety. Unlike the eventful 3-3 draw in the first meeting, a tighter, more tense affair decided by fine margins is likely here.

Match preview

Coritiba enter round 22 mid-table in the Brasileiro standings but cannot afford any complacency. Fernando Seabra’s side view the fixture against bottom-placed Chapecoense as a crucial opportunity to end their poor run of form and give themselves some breathing room in the competition.

Recent results have only increased the pressure. Coritiba have not won in four rounds - a run that included three defeats and a draw, with just one goal scored and seven conceded. In the 1-0 defeat to Cruzeiro, the team showed attacking intent with 19 shots but lacked the cutting edge to convert their presence in the final third into clear-cut chances.

The problem also extends to their home performances. At Couto Pereira, Coritiba have three wins, three draws and four defeats, scoring only 11 goals - the worst home attacking record in Serie A. As such, their status as favourites against Chapecoense should be treated with caution.

To turn their advantage into points, Seabra must give his side more fluidity in the final third. The team relies heavily on Josue for creativity and will need Lucas Ronier, Breno Lopes and Pedro Rocha to operate closer together to break down a defence likely to sit deep. Possession will be important, but converting territorial dominance into meaningful efforts on goal is crucial.

Chapecoense, meanwhile, arrive in Curitiba in a critical position in the Brasileiro. After a 4-2 win over Santos on the opening day, the club went 19 rounds without a victory, collecting seven draws and 12 defeats. Their position at the foot of the table is explained by problems at both ends of the pitch: just 19 goals scored, and 41 conceded, the worst defensive record in the competition.

The 2-2 draw with Santos at Vila Belmiro provided a sign of resurgence. Despite limited possession, Chapecoense managed to turn the game around following Rafael Lacerda's half-time adjustments, only to concede a late equaliser. The performance showed that the side remain capable of competing when they keep things simple - something that could prove crucial in Curitiba.

Elimination from the Copa do Brasil, however, again exposed the squad's limitations. Against Cruzeiro, Max Alves's red card early in the first half left Chapecoense pinned in their own half, under constant pressure and conceding 29 shots on goal. The physical and emotional toll of that fixture could weigh heavily on what follows.

The squad arrives in Curitiba having faced Cruzeiro twice in four days, with just one training session before the match at Couto Pereira. Still without an away win in the Brasileiro, Chapecoense will likely sit deep, try to withstand Coritiba's early pressure, and exploit counter-attacking opportunities where possible.

Coritiba Brasileiro form:

Chapecoense Brasileiro form:

Chapecoense form (all competitions):

Team News

At Coritiba, goalkeeper Pedro Rangel suffered a sprain in training, ruptured the meniscus in his right knee and will undergo surgery. As a result, Pedro Morisco continues as first choice after returning against Cruzeiro, following five months out with injury.

Fernando Seabra has no suspended players for the fixture, though he, Jacy Maranhao and Josue are all one booking away from suspension. In attack, the most likely approach is to continue with the unit built around Lucas Ronier, Josue, Breno Lopes and Pedro Rocha, with Joaquin Lavega as a substitute option to change the game in the second half.

Yannick Bolasie is the most notable absentee for Chapecoense. The forward suffered a pancreatic injury in a collision with Kaique Kenji in the Copa do Brasil first leg and has no return date set. Rafael Carvalheira, Joao Paulo, Mauricio Garcez, Victor Caetano and Robert Santos are also in the treatment room and remain unavailable.

Among recent arrivals, Bruno Tubarao has secured immediate involvement at right-back, while Tulio Eduardo made his debut against Cruzeiro and Uruguayan Franco Rossi was named among the substitutes and could be an option for this fixture.

Coritiba possible starting lineup:

Morisco; Tinga, Maranhao, Coser, Melo; Santos, Gomez; Ronier, Josue, Lopes; Rocha

Chapecoense possible starting lineup:

Anderson; Tubarao, Doma, Thyere, Pacheco; Camilo, Max, Matias; Augusto, Marcinho, Tadeu

We say: Coritiba 1-0 Chapecoense

Coritiba should enjoy more territorial control but may struggle to turn that dominance into enough chances to build a comfortable lead. The most likely scenario is a patient match, with Coritiba gradually working to find openings against a well-organised defensive block.

Chapecoense will look to keep the scoreline level for as long as possible, minimising risks and looking to exploit isolated counter-attacking opportunities. Even so, their recent fatigue and attacking limitations will make that resistance difficult to sustain until the final whistle.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.