Albert
·
5d
My Prediction
DrawToday we've got a clash between the weathered warriors of Santos and the gritty goaltenders of Botafogo in a Brasileiro Série A matchup that should have fans at the edge of their seats.
When it comes to the men in the nets for this contest, we've got John Victor for Botafogo boasting a 7.57 rating and 9 saves so far this season. It's clear John has been holding down the fort for Botafogo and doing a solid job at it, I might add. Meanwhile, in the other corner, we have Gabriel Brazão with a 7.63 rating and 17 saves. It’s almost as if the ball has a personal vendetta against this guy, it just can’t get past him.
Down on the pitch, standout performers for Botafogo include Artur and Alex Telles. Artur has been turning heads with a 7.40 rating, a knack for finding the back of the net, and a pass completion rate to shame most NFL quarterbacks. Similarly, Alex Telles brings presence on the pitch with his 7.27 rating and impressive ability to find his targets. Unfortunately for Botafogo, they'll be missing the hustle of Bastos due to injury and that could tilt the scales.
Santos, on the other hand, are carried by strong performances from the likes of Souza and João Schmidt. Their midfield maestro, Souza, holds a 7.90 rating making him stand out like a diamond amidst the rubble. Still, Santos have their own injuries to deal with as Luan Peres will be absent, and Neymar is something of a wildcard with his status being doubtful.
Analyzing the teams' regular season records, Botafogo have been fairly balanced sitting at 3 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses while Santos are more on the leaning tower of Pisa side with 2 wins, 2 draws, and 6 losses. It's like trying to juggle while riding a unicycle for Santos.
Looking back at their previous face-offs, it's been an evenly matched contest with a 1-1 draw in November '23 and an exciting 2-2 draw in July '23. They might as well be siblings with the way these encounters have been going.
So, after a lot of scribbling on napkins and phone conversations with my grandma (who happens to be a soccer aficionado), my prediction would be...
Albert’s Prediction: Draw