On Monday night, Santos welcome Chapecoense to the Estadio Urbano Caldeira in Sao Paulo with both teams needing points for different reasons. Santos are hoping to claim a place in the Copa Libertadores next season and a win could see them move into a position for qualification to the second stage.
Chapecoense are battling to avoid relegation and find themselves in 19th place at the beginning of the weekend. A win could see them move out of the bottom four, so it’s a big game for both teams.
Santos come into the game having tasted defeat at Palmeiras last time out. The match ended 3-2 and despite coming from 2-0 down to level things at 2-2, Santos conceded the decisive goal on the 71st minute of the game.
That defeat ended a good run for Santos which saw them go unbeaten in six Brasilian Serie A games. They defeated Atletico PR, Vitoria, Corinthians and Fluminense. Santos also picked up a point in draws against Vasco da Gama and Internacional.
Trends show Santos are undefeated in their last eight home matches in Serie A, winning each of the last three. Not only have they won those three games but they have kept a clean sheet in each of them and will be hoping to do the same in this match.
Chapecoense find themselves at the wrong end of the table and lost 1-0 at Bahia last weekend. That defeat means Chapecoense have won just one of their last four Serie A games, three of which have ended in defeat.
Form has been poor for Chapecoense and trends show they have won only four of their last fifteen games in all competitions. Ten of those fifteen games have ended in defeat and Chapecoense need to find some form quickly if they are to avoid the drop.
However, Chapecoense have struggled on the road and trends show they have lost each of their last four away games and have won just one of their last twenty away matches in the Brazilian league. Chapecoense have conceded goals in each of their last nine away Brasilian Serie A games and have found the back of the net 4 times in their last eleven away matches.
Team news and Santos have several players unavailable due to a mix of injury and suspension. Felippe Cardoso, Luiz Felipe, Rodrygo and Lucas Verissimo are injured while Diego Pituca, Gabriel Barbosa and Victor Ferraz are suspended.
Chapecoense also have players missing with Rafael Thyere, Khevin, Elicarlos, Marcio Araujo and Vinicius Freitas struggling to make the game. Victor Ramos is suspended.
Despite missing the league’s top scorer, Gabriel Barbosoa, Santos should have enough to win this game thanks to keeping a clean sheet. A single goal could be enough for the hosts to win the match.