Botafogo vs Santos - prediction, team news, lineups

Botafogo invited Santos to the Estadio Nilton Santos connected Thursday evening arsenic the Brazilian Serie A resumes pursuing the FIFA World Cup break.

The hosts beryllium conscionable extracurricular the Copa Sudamericana qualification places heading into the 2nd fractional of the campaign, portion the visitors way them by lone 1 constituent successful mid-table and are looking to proceed their caller improvement.

Match preview

Botafogo instrumentality to league enactment aiming to physique momentum aft showing encouraging signs earlier the World Cup break, improving defensively portion becoming much accordant successful attack.

The Rio de Janeiro outfit stay progressive successful the Copa bash Brasil, making a beardown league run arsenic important arsenic they effort to equilibrium home and continental commitments implicit the coming months.

Franclim Carvalho's broadside person made the Estadio Nilton Santos 1 of their biggest strengths successful caller weeks, having won 5 of their 9 location matches crossed each competitions, portion losing lone erstwhile successful beforehand of their ain supporters.

Their occurrence astatine location has mostly been built connected an assertive pressing game, speedy transitions done the wide areas and an quality to predominate possession, with the club's synthetic aboveground continuing to supply a acquainted vantage against visiting teams.

Botafogo volition besides instrumentality assurance from their caller grounds against Santos, unbeaten successful their past 5 Serie A meetings betwixt the clubs, portion they person not mislaid immoderate of their past 4 encounters astatine the Nilton Santos.

Santos, meanwhile, caput into the 2nd fractional of the play hoping to physique connected the advancement they made earlier the contention paused for the World Cup.

After an inconsistent opening to the campaign, Cuca recovered greater attacking bushed during the closing weeks earlier the break, creating much chances and expanding their goalscoring output, though antiaircraft lapses continued to forestall them from climbing further up the standings.

Away from home, however, Santos person struggled passim the campaign, winning nary of their 8 league matches connected the roadworthy portion suffering 4 defeats, a grounds they volition request to amended if they are to situation for the continental qualification places.

The visitors besides person 1 oculus connected their Copa Sudamericana campaign, but earning a affirmative effect against 1 of the teams that has troubled them implicit the years would supply a important assurance boost earlier a demanding tally of fixtures.

Botafogo Brasileiro form:

Botafogo signifier (all competitions):

Santos Brasileiro form:

Santos signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Botafogo welcomed respective players backmost to afloat fittingness during the World Cup interruption and are expected to person an astir full-strength squad disposable for Thursday's encounter.

Midfielder Danilo was fixed further clip disconnected aft his World Cup commitments and remains a uncertainty amid continued transportation speculation, portion chap midfielder Alvaro Montoro is besides attracting involvement from River Plate.

Santos are expected to beryllium without Gabriel Bontempo, who continues to conflict with a groin injury, portion Moises is besides unavailable aft suffering an ankle sprain during a affable match.

Gabigol misses the brushwood done suspension pursuing his reddish paper earlier the break, portion Neymar was besides granted further permission aft the World Cup and remains unavailable.

Botafogo imaginable starting lineup:

Raul; Vitinho, Ferraresi, Gabriel Justino, Alex Telles; Medina, Huguinho; Barrera, Villalba, M. Martins; A. Cabral

Santos imaginable starting lineup:

Brazao; G. Menino, L. Verissimo, L. Peres, Escobar; W. Arao, G. Henrique, Rollheiser; Miguelito, Thaciano, Barreal

We say: Botafogo 2-0 Santos

Botafogo person been 1 of the stronger location sides successful Serie A this play and should payment from returning to the acquainted surroundings of Nilton Santos aft the World Cup break.

Santos showed signs of betterment earlier the interruption, but their inconsistent distant signifier and the lack of cardinal attacking options could beryllium costly against a Botafogo broadside that has go progressively coagulated defensively, though we expect the hosts to power the crippled and statesman the 2nd fractional of the play with a deserved victory.

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