Despite seeing their relentless winning run halted in midweek, Athletico Paranaense are continuing to close in on top spot in the Campeonato Brasileiro, as they prepare to visit lowly Goias on Saturday.
An away draw in the Copa Libertadores was still enough for the Rubro-Negro to seal a place in the competition's quarter-finals, and they now seek to pile pressure on leaders Palmeiras with a fourth straight league win.
Match preview
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Since his appointment in May, Athletico Paranaense coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has made quite an impact at Arena da Baixada - leading his new club to second place in the Serie A standings and now into the last eight of the Copa Libertadores.
The former Brazil coach's latest master-stroke in the Brasileiro was engineering an unexpected league victory over his old employers, reigning Libertadores champions Palmeiras, last weekend.
As last season's Copa Sudamericana winners, Athletico arrived at Allianz Parque trailing their Sao Paulo-based opponents by five points in the table, but confirmed themselves as potential title contenders with an important 2-0 win.
Palmeiras had not lost a domestic fixture since their opening league game, but after riding out wave after wave of pressure - in a match where they had just 28% of possession - Scolari's side had an opening goal from Vitor Roque and Vitor Bueno's second-half penalty to thank for three valuable points.
El Paranaense are the only team from the city of Curitiba to have previously won the Brasileiro, back in 2001, and they are surely laying the foundations of a push for top spot once again - now unbeaten in nine consecutive league fixtures.
In addition to appointing two-time Serie A champion and 2002 World Cup winner 'Felipao' - who once managed Saturday's opponents, back in 1988 - the Rubro-Negro recently signed Fernandinho from Manchester City, so are certainly ambitious in their outlook.
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While Athletico travelled to Asuncion, to complete an aggregate win over Paraguay's Libertad in midweek, Goias had time to reflect on their 1-0 defeat to America-MG last Sunday.
That slim loss at Estadio Independencia saw the visitors drop behind their hosts in the Serie A standings, amid a tightly-contested Campeonato Brasileiro this term.
Jair Ventura's side sit 17th as a result - just inside the bottom four - and their positive results to end June have been brought to a halt heading into a new month.
The Goiania club had drawn the first leg of their Copa do Brasil tie with local rivals Atletico Goianiense, before going one better in the league, as they edged out fellow strugglers Cuiaba to stop a five-game winless streak.
With a mere seven away points on the board, Verdao may now be glad to return to Estadio da Serrinha this week, though they have still registered just eight league goals there from eight home fixtures - hardly a record to worry in-form opposition.
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Team News
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Athletico arrive in Goiania following 14 games without defeat, and have plenty of options to choose from up front.
Centre-forward Pablo has now recovered from a thigh injury and will vie with Romulo - hero of the Copa Libertadores success on Wednesday - for a place in the visitors' attack.
The latter, who has notched eight times so far this season, scored in the last minute to secure the 1-1 draw that qualifies his team for the quarter-finals, having replaced Vitor Roque - another contender to feature on Saturday.
Luiz Felipe Scolari expects to be without on-loan Vitinho, however, due to an issue with his thigh, while Thiago Heleno is still struggling with a shoulder problem. Though Fernandinho has recently joined full training, the former Manchester City star cannot play until July 18, when the Brasileiro transfer window opens.
Meanwhile, goal-shy Goias will hope striker Pedro Raul can find an eighth league goal of the season, as he continues his loan from J-League club Kashiwa Reysol.
He should lead the line in a 3-4-2-1 formation for the hosts, whose injury list contains Marcelo Rosa, Hugo and Matheus Santos.
Goias possible starting lineup:
Tadeu; Souto, Reynaldo, Caetano; Maguinho, Auremir, Bastos, Vinicius; Sales, Elvis; Raul
Athletico Paranaense possible starting lineup:
Bento; Orejuela, Henrique, Felipe, Abner; Leo, Erick; Romulo, Terans, Pedrinho; Pablo
We say: Goias 1-1 Athletico Paranaense
Athletico score at a rate of one goal per game when away from home in Serie A, while Goias find the net at a similar rate on home soil.
While the hosts lack the firepower to upset their visitors by ending an impressive unbeaten run, they can grind out a draw thanks to a decent defensive record at Estadio da Serrinha.
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Top tip
Jonathan O'Shea
