Athletico and Bahia are set to clash again in a Brasileiro Série A matchup that holds quite the allure for serious sports fanatics. If your memory serves you as well as my morning cup of coffee, you'll recall Bahia holding the upper hand in their last encounter, eeking out a close 2-1 win. Fast forward a few blissful years and we're wondering who's going to take it this time.
Bahia has a capable goalie in Marcos Felipe. With a 7.03 rating, the guy's saved more shots than a bartender at a hectic happy hour. Meanwhile, Athletico has done a roster shuffle, rotating two goalies with Léo Linck's performance standing out with a 7.30 rating and 26 saves. Clearly a man who is worth his gloves!
Looking at offensive playmakers, Bahia has guys like Thaciano, Everton Ribeiro and Caio Alexandre shining, putting up some impressive numbers. It's a mix of capable passers and goal scorers that would give a chess grandmaster a migraine.
Athletico, however, counters with players of their own. You've got guys like Fernandinho and Gonzalo Mastriani who aren't just content with keeping the ball to themselves. They like to put balls into nets.
Admittedly though, both teams have been affected by injury. Santiago Arias of Bahia won't have his boots laced up for this one, which is a stroke of bad luck for them. Athletico has it worse, with both Alex Santana and Agustín Canobbio demonstrating their less impressive crutch hobbling skills.
Looking at recent wins, losses and heartbreaking draws, Bahia seems to have the upper hand. Athletico hasn’t been far behind though, coming close to tying Bahia's record. Sometimes it's about momentum, folks. Sometimes, it's about that irresistible drive to slide on your knees on wet grass while the stadium erupts around you.
In times like these, I like to retreat into my own reverie, seek guidance from whichever football deity is on duty, and remember I don’t get paid by the hour. So, without further ado, here's my prediction...
Albert’s Prediction: Athletico by 1