Thursday evening also brings us action from the Brazilian Copa do Brasil and a clash between Sao Paulo and Palmeiras in another repeat of their previous clash in the Brazilian Serie A, which Palmeiras came out on top with a 2-1 win away from home at Sao Paulo’s Estadio Cicero Pompeu de Toledo.
That recent 2-1 defeat on home soil became Sao Paulo’s second defeat on the trot and followed a previous 1-0 loss on the road at Botafogo, both of which were in the Brazilian Serie A.
And although these two losses have been Sao Paulo’s only slip-ups in their last 17 matches overall, the hosts still face a tough assignment on Thursday evening against the current Serie A league leaders.
Sao Paulo have also produced an impressive sequence of results on home turf as well, as the hosts have suffered just the one defeat out of their last 15 games overall, winning 13 of these games.
However, Sao Paulo will have to do without midfielders, Nikao and Gabriel Sara with ankle problems, forward Alisson has not recovered from his sprained knee, while midfield duo Luan and Andres Colorado have thigh injuries.
Palmeiras will be seeking to do the ‘double’ over Thursday’s hosts, Sao Paulo, in quick succession in this Copa do Brasil tie following their 2-1 triumph against the same opponents in their previous Serie A fixture.
Palmeiras have been in imperious form to date in this season’s Brazilian top flight campaign as they are unbeaten in their last 19 matches in all competitions and includes winning their last four Serie A matches on the trot as well.
Recent victories over Botafogo, Coritiba, Atletico GO and Sao Paulo have helped the visitors to the summit of the Serie A standings, while this upcoming clash at the Estadio Cicero Pompeu de Toledo also represents a good opportunity to progress in the domestic cup competition as well.
Palmeiras have reached the last 16 of this season’s Copa do Brasil by virtue of recording a 4-2 aggregate win against Serie D outfit, Juazeirense, and the visitors will be looking for more of the same in this tie with Sao Paulo.
The visitors are expected to be missing defender Marcos Rocha and midfielder Veiga who are both nursing thigh issues, defender Jorge has a knee injury while midfielder Jailson is out for the remainder of the campaign with an ACL injury.
Palmeiras look the more likely to secure a 1st leg win here.