(foto: Uradni Twitter profil kluba/zveze)
Tonight, the 14th round of Brazil's Serie A features a match between Grêmio and Palmeiras.
After battling for the title last year, this year’s situation is entirely different ahead of their first encounter of the season.
Last season, Palmeiras clinched the title by finishing two points ahead of Grêmio. Now, the situation is starkly different as they face each other for the first time this year. The match, starting at midnight Europea time, will be officiated by Marcelo de Lima Henrique.
Clashes between these two teams often provide exciting football, with no match ending goalless since 2016. Typically, these have been close encounters, often decided by a single goal. Will tonight be the same, or will the law of averages offer a different outcome? We will find out soon.
Palmeiras continues their form from last season and currently sits third with 26 points from 13 matches, four points behind leaders Flamengo, who have played one more match. A win today could significantly close the gap, and recent results suggest it’s likely.
Since the beginning of June, Palmeiras has played seven league matches. After five consecutive wins, they suffered an unexpected 3-0 loss to ninth-placed Fortaleza. In their last match two days ago, they defeated Corinthians 2-0 at home despite being down to ten men.
In contrast, Grêmio, who finished second last season, is now 18th out of 20 clubs. They have ten points from 11 matches and ended a run of five winless games (four losses) with a narrow 1-0 victory over Fluminense in the last round.
Grêmio will be without Yeferson Soteldo and Mathias Villasanti, who are with Venezuela and Paraguay at the Copa America. Also missing due to accumulated cards is Dodi, while Lucas Mila, Diego Costa, Andre Henrique, and Jhonata Robert are injured.
For Palmeiras, Raphael Veiga received a straight red card in the last match, while Ze Rafael and Gabriel Menino are suspended due to accumulated cards. These are three key midfielders, presenting a selection challenge for coach Abel Ferreira.
In their last encounter in late September last year, Grêmio won 1-0 at home in the 24th round.