Two of the Brasileiro's recent draw specialists will come to blows on Thursday evening, as Cruzeiro welcome Flamengo to the Estadio Governador Magalhaes Pinto.

Ze Ricardo's side held Cuiaba to a goalless stalemate last time out, while their visitors - who are beginning a new era under ex-Brazil boss Tite - also gleaned a single point from a 1-1 draw with Corinthians.

Match preview

Following a three-year stint in the doldrums of Serie B - which ended with a title-winning 2022 campaign en route back to the first division - consolidation has been the aim for Cruzeiro over the past few months, and Thursday's hosts are very much on the right path.

Very little could separate Cuiaba and Cruzeiro in the middle of the pack heading into the weekend's contest, and the action on the pitch was also closely-contested, as Cruzeiro played out their second low-scoring draw on the bounce following a 1-1 stalemate at home to America Mineiro on October 1.

A 10th draw of the campaign - the joint-most of any side in the division alongside Corinthians - leaves Cruzeiro occupying a respectable 13th position in the table, which would be enough for Ze Ricardo's men to sneak into the group stage of the 2-24 Copa Sudamericana.

However, dreams of a continental adventure could quickly turn into fears of a relegation dogfight for Cruzeiro, who are only four points clear of the four-team drop zone and have just one win to show from their last 12 Brasileiro contests - a 3-0 away beating of Santos last month.

Ze Ricardo's team have gone winless in their last six games on home soil - drawing five of them while scoring a league-low six goals on their own patch all season long - but they have often made up for attacking deficiencies with defensive grit, conceding just twice in their last five Brasileiro encounters.

One-pointers have also been commonplace for Flamengo, who prevented Corinthians from usurping their upcoming hosts in the Brasileiro standings on Saturday evening, where former Marseille man Gerson drew first blood before coming off with an injury.

The midfielder's effort would seemingly be enough to propel his side to victory, only for Fabio Santos to draw Corinthians level from the penalty spot 11 minutes from time, consigning Flamengo to a third draw from four games before Mario Jorge handed the reins over to Tite.

One of those stalemates condemned Flamengo to the silver medal in the Copa do Brasil final against Sao Paulo, who won 1-0 in the first game of that two-legged tie before marching to glory with a 1-1 second-leg draw on September 24, but they responded before the end of the month by sinking Bahia 1-0.

However, a return to winless ways for Malvadao - who now have just one victory to show from their last six contests in all tournaments - leaves the fifth-placed visitors 12 points behind Brasileiro leaders Botafogo, although they are only below third-placed Gremio and fourth-placed Palmeiras on wins and goal difference respectively heading into Tite's baptism.

Jorge's team have also amassed a healthy eight points from four unbeaten road contests heading into Thursday's battle with Cruzeiro, who have lost five and drawn one of their last six meetings with Malvadao since a shock 2-0 win in the first leg of the 2018 Copa Libertadores last 16.

Team News

Not a single Cruzeiro player was summoned for national team duty this month - a welcome reprieve for Ze Ricardo amid his side's ongoing injury situation, which worsened when right-back William was brought off in the first half of their draw with Cuiaba.

The defender suffered a nasty clash of heads with opposing left-back Uendel - who was also withdrawn - and while scans are believed to have provided reassuring results, there is no guarantee that he will be available for Thursday's game.

Helibelton Palacios should be on standby to deputise for William, while Wesley Gasolina, Ramiro and Rafael Elias are all down with knee injuries, and Rafael Bilu is still working his way back from an Achilles rupture.

Despite coming off injured nine minutes after scoring against Corinthians, Flamengo man Gerson was deemed fit enough to play for Brazil this month, while ex-Cruzeiro man Giorgian de Arrascaeta is representing Uruguay will not reunite with his former club.

Fellow midfielder Erick Pulgar is also donning the Chile colours this month, while Igor Jesus was named in the Brazil Under-23 squad, but thankfully for new head coach Tite, he has few injury problems to work around for his inaugural game.

Defenders Guillermo Varela and Gabriel Noga remain sidelined with knee issues, though, while Allan's severe ankle injury has ruled the midfielder out of the rest of the season.

Cruzeiro possible starting lineup:
Cabral; Palacios, Neris, Castan, Marlon; Oliveira, Silva; Nikao, Machado, Gomes; Wesley

Flamengo possible starting lineup:
Rossi; Wesley, Bruno, Pereira, Lucas; Maia, Hugo; Araujo, Ribeiro, Henrique; Pedro

We say: Cruzeiro 0-1 Flamengo

Even with the possibility of the new manager bounce coming into effect for Flamengo, international call-ups have left Tite short of goal threats in midfield, and Cruzeiro are hardly ever breached at will on their own turf.

However, the hosts have been lacking a clinical edge in front of the home crowd all season long, and Flamengo's defence should have no trouble containing the shot-shy Cruzeiro attack while nicking a goal or two at the other end to begin the Tite era in positive fashion.


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