The Serie A tie at Arena Castelão on Sunday sees home side Fortaleza doing battle with Red Bull Bragantino.
Our Fortaleza v Red Bull Bragantino predictions, statistics and match poll can be seen below - as well as up-to-date odds.
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Form Guide
Fortaleza
DWWWDW 📈
Fortaleza, who won their previous game, will hope for a similar result following a 4-2 Copa Sudamericana triumph over Boca Juniors.
For Fortaleza, the goalscorers were Juan Lucero (4', 51') and Yago Pikachu (55', 63'). Miguel Ángel Merentiel (21') and Kevin Zenón (85') scored for Boca Juniors.
Their most recent results highlight the fact that huge efforts have been put in by the Fortaleza backline. Fortaleza have been stingy, with the number of goals that have gone in at their end over the course of their past six games standing at 2. Regardless, we’ll just have to find out if that pattern might persist in this match.
Going into this contest, Fortaleza are unbeaten in their last 4 league matches at home.
Red Bull Bragantino
WLDWWW 📈
Red Bull Bragantino go into this match following a 2-1 Copa Sudamericana win with the eclipse of Sportivo Luqueno in their last outing.
For Red Bull Bragantino, the scorers were Thiago Borbas (28') and Gustavinho (47').
Pedro Caixinha's Red Bull Bragantino have managed to stick the ball in the net a total of 8 times throughout their previous six matches. The total of goals that have been scored against them during those same clashes adds up to 7.
Going into this contest, Red Bull Bragantino are without a win away from home in their last 5 league games.
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Head to head
Checking out their prior head to head duels going back to 25/07/2021, both clubs have shared the honours with Fortaleza winning 3 of those games, Red Bull Bragantino 3 and 0 being drawn in regulation time.
A sum of 19 goals were yielded between them throughout the course of those matches, with 10 of them for Fortaleza and 9 coming from Leão da Zona. The average number of goals per game works out to 3.17.
The last league fixture featuring these clubs was Serie A match day 36 on 30/11/2023 and the score finished Red Bull Bragantino 1-2 Fortaleza.
In that game, Red Bull Bragantino managed 75% possession and 17 shots at goal with 6 on target. Their only player on the scoresheet was Eduardo Sasha (45').
At the other end, Fortaleza had 6 shots at goal with 4 of them on target. Yago Pikachu (14') and Calebe (23') scored.
The match was refereed by Denis da Silva Ribeiro.
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Team News: Fortaleza
The Fortaleza boss Juan Vojvoda will be grateful not to have any fitness concerns whatsoever before this game with a completely healthy group to pick from.
It looks as if Fortaleza will possibly employ a 4-2-3-1 formation for this game, utilising João Ricardo, Tinga, Emanuel Brítez, Titi, Bruno Pacheco, Hércules, Ze Welison, Yago Pikachu, Tomas Pochettino, Imanol Machuca and Juan Martin Lucero.
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Team News: Red Bull Bragantino
Owing to a completely injury-free squad available to choose from, the Red Bull Bragantino manager Pedro Caixinha has zero fitness concerns whatsoever ahead of this game.
We are inclined to think that Leão da Zona might begin the game with a 4-3-3 lineup, going with Cleiton, Jose Andres Hurtado, Douglas Mendes, Luan Cândido, Juninho Capixaba, Gustavinho, Jadsom, Eric Ramires, Ignacio Laquintana, Eduardo Sasha and Vitinho.
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Prediction
Here is a game where Red Bull Bragantino will have to work hard as a team to see themselves scoring against this Fortaleza lineup who we think will likely gain the upper hand.
With that in mind, we reckon that it will be a very competitive game with a 1-0 advantage for Fortaleza at full-time.
Should be interesting.
Our expert partners are tipping over 1.5 goals for this match. Check out their VIP predictions here.
Peter Guest,
12:06 26/04/2024
🏟️ Team Focus:
Fortaleza
Formed: 1918
Stadium: Arena Castelão (63,904)
Captain: Guilherme Tinga
Chairman: Alex Santiago
Manager: Juan Vojvoda
Competitions: Serie A position 8, Copa do Brasil (Third Round), Copa Sudamericana (Group D)