Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Brazilian Serie A match.
A bottom-of-the-table clash between two sides currently occupying the top two spots in the relegation zone. Despite the storied name, Santos’ struggles are no real surprise, but Fortaleza’s presence down there certainly is.
Fortaleza
Just last season, Fortaleza finished fourth in the league and earned a spot in the Copa Libertadores. The club reached its interim target by making it through to the knockout stages of the continental tournament, but it came at the expense of domestic form. Three rounds ago, Fortaleza sat 11th in the Sudamericana zone, but a run of three straight defeats has dragged them into the relegation scrap. A win here could propel them back up to 13th.
Santos
Santos have only just returned to Série A, and not even Neymar Jr. has been able to lift them. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star spent a month sidelined, during which the team picked up just one point from a possible 15. Upon his return in round 10, Santos edged Vitória (1:0) — though Neymar’s influence was minimal, coming off the bench in the 74th minute after Guilherme Santos had already netted the winner in the 20th. In the last match, Neymar let his team down with a second yellow card in the 76th minute, ruling him out for this game.
Fortaleza vs Santos Prediction
Perhaps Santos might even benefit from not having a weary-looking Neymar on the pitch. They have scored just twice in their last six matches, and Fortaleza haven’t found the net in any of their last three. It’s difficult to predict a winner, but the lack of attacking threat on both sides points clearly to a low-scoring affair.
