On Sunday night, Internacional and Santos go head-to-head at the Estadio Jose Pinheiro Borda in a game that could greatly affect both team's Serie A campaigns.
Internacional form guideEduardo Coudet’s team currently occupy the last Copa Sudamericana spot. However, they are also just two points clear of Sunday’s opponents, who are in the final relegation berth. A run of three defeats in their last four outings in the Brazilian top-flight has put the home side in their current potentially precarious position in the table.
Last time out, Internacional suffered a 1-0 defeat at Bahia. The result means that five of their previous eight matches in Serie A have produced under 2.5 goals.
Internacional has a poor recent home record in the Brazilian top flight, as they have won just two of their last eight games on home soil. The fact that they have conceded at least two goals in four of the previous six home matches has not helped their situation.
Santos form guideThe visitors are in the relegation zone courtesy of an inferior goal difference to 16th-place Vasco da Gama. Santos’ recent form has been good, as a 3-1 home defeat against RB Bragantino ended a three-game winning run in Serie A.
Santos have also been relatively prolific lately, scoring at least two goals in three of their last four matches in the Brazilian top flight.
Marcelo Fernandes’s team has recorded back-to-back away wins in Serie A against Bahia and Palmeiras. However, the two wins came on the back of a five-game losing streak away from home in the Brazilian top-flight.
Their recent away games have been relatively high-scoring, with over 2.5 goals scored in five of their previous eight outings in Serie A.
What am I backing?There is very little between these two teams in points in the league. I believe this could be a fairly even contest, so I am backing this game to finish all square.
