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

Juventude will look to end a seven-game winless run in their bid to avoid relegation to the Brazilian second tier on Thursday, when they welcome Internacional to the Estadio Alfredo Jaconi.

While the hosts find themselves five points adrift of safety, their visitors sit in seventh spot, just five points off the top four in the Campeonato Brasileiro table.

Match preview

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Having enjoyed a relatively commendable start to the season after winning promotion to the top flight, Juventude now find themselves in a precarious position heading into the final straight.

They have failed to win any of their last seven Brasileiro outings, picking up just four points in that time and dropping to 18th spot as a result.

Such a run saw manager Marquinhos Santos dismissed in October, and new boss Jair Ventura seems to have, at least, improved Juve's resilience.

In his two games in charge, the side have played out consecutive goalless draws, holding Ceara and Bahia to earn valuable points, but they will know they need victories to avoid the drop.

Now sitting five points behind 16th-placed Santos, albeit with a game in hand, Juve will be desperate to put a victory on the board on Thursday to improve their standing at the bottom end of the division, as they look to defy the odds and maintain their top-tier status.

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They welcome an Internacional side who are looking to bridge a gap at the opposite end of the table, as they set their sights on a battle for the top four.

Having previously looked in a strong position at the top end of the division, Diego Aguirre's men were forced to endure a difficult four-game winless run in the league, picking up just two points from clashes with Palmeiras, Bragantino, Corinthians and Sao Paulo, but they managed to bounce back last time out.

The Clube do Povo met rivals Gremio on Saturday, and they came out of a dramatic clash with a 1-0 win thanks to Taison's first-half effort.

Such a win saw them maintain their spot in seventh place, and Aguirre's side now sit just three points behind Corinthians in sixth spot, and five points off fourth-placed Bragantino with eight games to go.

With a heated battle for Copa Libertadores places, they will be keen to build a winning run at a crucial time to achieve a top-six finish after they ended last term in second spot.

Team News

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After two improved performances since Ventura's appointment, Juventude may come into Thursday's clash with a relatively unchanged starting XI, with Jadson and Dawhan set to handle business in the centre.

However, key centre-back Vitor Mendes will miss out through suspension, with the rest of the back four set to remain the same after back-to-back clean sheets.

Ricardo Bueno should continue to lead the line, having hit five goals in 11 league appearances this term.

Internacional will come into the clash without winger Patrick, who was sent off in the dying minutes of the victory over Gremio.

Yuri Alberto will continue to lead the line, having attracted widespread interest by scoring 11 league games so far this season.

Taison and Edenilson will also contribute to a threatening front line, with Rodrigo Lindoso and Rodrigo Dourado shielding the back four.

Juventude possible starting lineup:

Carne; Michel, Forster, Quintero, Matheus; Jadson, Dawhan; Capixaba, Castilho, Vinicios; Bueno

Internacional possible starting lineup:

Lomba; Saravia, Mendez, Cuesta, Moises; Lindoso, Dourado; Edenilson, Taison, Maia; Alberto

We say: Juventude 0-1 Internacional

Juventude have certainly shown a resilient side to their game in recent weeks, and this could well be settled by one goal, but we see them falling just short on Thursday.

Internacional boast plenty of quality, and, refreshed from an important win last time out, they should have enough to get over the line and boost their bid for a top-four spot.