Two teams at opposing ends of the Brasileiro table will meet on Sunday as second-placed Corinthians will be making the trip to face Ceara in their latest league game.
The hosts currently find themselves in the relegation zone heading into this one, but a victory could not only take them out of that, but into the top half of the table.
Match preview
Ceara have struggled so far in the Brasileiro, having managed just three victories throughout the entire season to this point, which has seen them play 16 times.
The lack of points is why they are currently 17th in the table, but a win on Sunday could see them climb as high as ninth because of how tight the division is.
While Ceara were knocked out of the Copa do Brasil in midweek on aggregate, but they did manage to defeat Fortaleza in that second leg match by a goal to nil.
Vinicius was the man who got on the scoresheet that day, and it is a result that should have provided some confidence to the squad for them to kick on.
That continued the strong run of form that they have been enjoying as of late, as they have only lost once in the previous six games across all competitions, showcasing the qualities that they do have.
Ceara will have to be at their best when it comes to their attacking qualities though if they want to get a result this weekend, as the visitors have only conceded four times all season so far.
They are second placed right now and very much in the title race at the moment with just a single point separating them and Palmeiras at the moment.
Even though Corinthians are thriving so far, they were defeated in their most recent outing in the Copa do Brasil by Santos following a penalty from Marcos Leonardo.
Despite the loss Vitor Pereira's men were able to progress into the next round as they won the game 4-1 on aggregate, showcasing their attacking qualities.
In the league, their results have been mixed as of late, with just one victory in their previous three matches which has put some pressure on the squad.
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Team News
Erick is the only injury concern for Ceara at the moment, and this game is going to come too soon for him in terms of his return, as that is not expected until August.
After picking up a victory in their most recent outing, the hosts could opt to play the exact same starting XI in order to continue their momentum.
The visitors have been dealing with some injury issues as of late as Maycon and Luan have been dealing with knocks, while Renato Augusto has also been sidelined.
The experience of Willian is something that they could tap into, although form has been something that he has struggled with since returning to Brazil.
Ceara possible starting lineup:
Ricardo; Paraiba, Messias, Otavio, Luis; Richard, Richardson; Lima, Vinicius, Medonza; Roberto
Corinthians possible starting lineup:
Cassio; Ramos, Gil, Gustavo, Santos; Queiroz, Cantillo; Adson, Giuliano, Piton, Guedes
We say: Ceara 0-2 Corinthians
Ceara have been showcasing their qualities as of late with good defensive performances that have led to them grinding out results on a consistent basis.
Despite that, they are facing one of the strongest teams in the Brasileiro, and the Corinthians are likely going to be too strong for their opponents here.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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