In our upcoming Brasileiro Série A matchup, we have Athletico squaring off against São Paulo. Now, let's dig a little into the strategy and players behind this duel.
For São Paulo, they've got keepers Rafael and Jandrei, rated 7.40 and 6.75 respectively, with Jandrei seen making 17 saves this season. Athletico's keepers? Not a huge gap there, folks. Léo Linck with a 7.40 rating and Bento at 7.00, and let's not forget Linck's 21 saves this season.
On São Paulo's key player list, Luciano, although injured, has been a standout with his 2 goals and an 86% pass accuracy. Jonathan Calleri and Ferreira, both have a stellar presence on the field. Look at Calleri's 66.7% pass accuracy; talk about pinpoint precision.
For Athletico, Nikão, Kaique Rocha, and Tomás Cuello are all worth a mention. Glad they're not doubling as surgeons with the need for such precision, especially Nikão with an 85.3% pass accuracy.
Injury alert though - Bento, Athletico's goalkeeper, and Agustín Canobbio are in the physio's office.
Looking back at past encounters, it’s been fairly even-Steven between these two, each featuring one draw and a slim win for São Paulo. Their regular season records are mirroring each other like it's a new dance craze - São Paulo stands at 6-3-4 while Athletico is at 6-4-3.
In terms of momentum, São Paulo's had a recent hiccup against Vasco and Cuiabá, but they've bounced back with two strong wins. Athletico seems to be a fan of stalemates, with a hat trick of draws and a neat win against Vitória to accentuate it.
Without further ado, let's unveil the prediction for our Brazilian gig. This one is really a toss-up, but considering their past performances, recent form, a slightly tougher injury situation for São Paulo, I'd have to say that Athletico may just edge this one by a fraction... Or should I say a whole number?
Albert’s Prediction: Athletico by 1