Athletico PR vs. Cuiaba (Friday, 10.00pm)
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Two teams who appeared to be comfortably positioned to remain in the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A now find themselves desperate to hold onto their current positions as Athletico Paranaense host Cuiaba on Friday from Arena da Baixada.
The Copa Sudamericana champions have dropped three of their previous four league matches and are only two points clear of the relegation zone, while the club from Mato Grosso have only won one of their last six league fixtures, currently sitting only a point above El Paranaense in the table.
We say: Athletico Paranaense 1-0 Cuiaba
This will be a tough match to call, but Paranaense know what it takes to remain in the top flight, and even though they have not experienced the kind of danger that they are in right now, they possess a lot of individual quality that can make the difference.
Cuiaba have had a decent campaign considering it is their first experience playing at this level, but all of this is brand new to them, and it appears as though the pressure is starting to get to them.
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Sport vs. Flamengo (Friday, 11.00pm)
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After temporarily keeping their championship hopes alive in the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A earlier this week, Flamengo will battle Sport Recife on Friday from Arena Pernambuco.
Leao need a win if they are to have a chance to stay in the top flight in 2022, as they sit nine points behind the relegation line with three matches remaining, while victory is a must for Flamengo as well plus they need some help from Bahia to have a shot at the domestic championship.
We say: Sport Recife 0-2 Flamengo
This match may not matter for the visitors, but even if Atletico Mineiro can clinch the title on Thursday, Flamengo are still a side who are far superior to Recife, as Urubu are just as good at defending, and they have only been shut out once in a Serie A fixture since October.
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Chapecoense vs. Atletico GO (Friday, 11.00pm)
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Chapecoense return home still searching for this first victory at Arena Conda in the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A when they battle Atletico Goianiense on Friday.
The team from Santa Catarina are currently on a three-game losing streak in league play and have dropped their previous two road matches, while Goianiense scored in the 95th minute on Monday to beat Bahia 2-1, extending their unbeaten run to five games.
We say: Chapecoense 0-1 Atletico Goianiense
Chape have conceded five goals in their previous two home games and allowed 24 shots in their defeat to Gremio, but lucky for them, Atletico are not all that clinical in the final third, but they should be able to bury at least one of their opportunities as the team at the bottom of the table allow their fair share of them each game.
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Fortaleza vs. Juventude (Saturday, 12.00am)
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After climbing out of the relegation zone, Juventude will travel to Casteleao on Friday for a date with Fortaleza in the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A.
Leao do Pici are clinging to sixth place in the table despite losing their previous match 2-0 to Santos, while Juve put on a brilliant defensive performance to shut out Bragantino 1-0.
We say: Fortaleza 1-1 Juventude
Juve have only won one of their last 10 road fixtures in Serie A, but we anticipate that they will be able to come away with a point in this one because they need this game a lot more than their opponents do, so we expect more urgency on their part.
Fortaleza seem pretty content with their place in the standings as they have not appeared too interested in climbing up the table, but at the same time they have some outstanding individuals who can carry their team, and we expect that to be the case in this one.
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Barney Corkhill
