The Round of 16 match in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup between Palmeiras (Brazil) and Botafogo (Brazil) will take place on June 28 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, USA. Palmeiras vs. Botafogo: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Palmeiras
Abel Ferreira's team secured a playoff spot by finishing first in Group A. They drew 0-0 with Porto in the opening match, then defeated Al Ahly Cairo 2-0 in the second round. In the final group match, a draw was enough for the Brazilian side, which they achieved despite trailing Inter Miami by two goals (2-2). Notably, Palmeiras conceded for the first time in six international official matches against the American team. Additionally, they allowed the fewest goals in Group A, conceding just two.
- Palmeiras is unbeaten in regular time in their last six Club World Cup games (2 wins, 4 draws).
- At least one opponent failed to score in 5 of their last 7 matches in this tournament.
- The club has not conceded more than one goal in 6 of their last 7 Club World Cup matches.
Predicted lineup for Palmeiras (3-4-3)
Weverton – Marcos Rocha, Gustavo Gomez, Murilo – Raphael Veiga, Richard Rios, Lucas Evangelista, Joaquin Piquerez – Estevan, Jose Lopez, Facundo Torres.
Botafogo
After two matches, Botafogo led Group B thanks to victories over Seattle (2-1) and PSG (1-0). However, a defeat in the final round against Atletico Madrid (0-1) dropped Renato Paiva's side to second place in the group. The game against the Spaniards ended Botafogo's five-match scoring streak in the Copa Libertadores and the Club World Cup. In this tournament, only Al Hilal (3) scored fewer goals than Botafogo (4) among the second-placed teams.
- The club has won 5 of their last 6 official international matches (1 loss).
- The team conceded exactly 1 or 2 goals in 5 of their last 7 matches in the Copa Libertadores and the Club World Cup.
- Botafogo scored in the first half in 5 of their last 6 matches in these tournaments.
Predicted lineup for Botafogo (4-4-2)
John Victor – Alex Telles, Vitinho, Jair Cunha, Alexander Barbosa – Allan Marques Loureiro, Gregory, Marlon Freitas, Leo Arthur – Jefferson Savarino, Igor Jesus.
Midfielder Gregory will miss the match due to an accumulation of yellow cards.
Referee
Francois Letexier (France)
Matches – 13 (International matches, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 63;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.8;
Red cards shown – 3;
Average fouls per match – 21;
Penalties – 38%.
Palmeiras vs. Botafogo: Match Prediction
The draw has paired two familiar opponents from the Brazilian championship in the Round of 16. Bookmakers have made Palmeiras the favorite in this clash. However, the teams' performances in the 2025 Club World Cup and recent head-to-head encounters make me question these odds.
Abel Ferreira's side was in one of the easiest groups in this tournament. Porto is not in their best form, yet they looked significantly better than Palmeiras. In the match against Inter Miami, the club capitalized on the opponent's complacency and equalized late in the game. They only managed to defeat the weakest team in the group.
Botafogo, on the other hand, managed to defeat the tournament hosts and the reigning UEFA Champions League winners. In the final round, Renato Paiva's side calmly withstood Atletico Madrid's attacks and conceded the only goal three minutes before the end of regular time, achieving a satisfactory result. Botafogo has not lost to Palmeiras in official matches in their last five encounters (3 wins, 2 draws).
My prediction: Botafogo to win or draw
