Atletico Mineiro take on the visitors Corinthians in the round 20 match of Brazilian Serie A. The match will be played on Monday, July 29th at MRV Arena (Belo Horizonte).
Atlético Mineiro, known as "Galo" (the Rooster), has a strong squad by Brazilian Série A standards and a fairly deep bench. Currently, the team has several players sidelined due to injuries, including goalkeeper Everson, defenders Lemos and Rubens, winger Alisson, and midfielder Zaracho. These players have been out for a while, but Atlético has ample resources. In the last three rounds, the team has secured seven out of nine possible points even without these players. Atlético Mineiro is a typical mid-table team that has recently been modest on the road but can defeat anyone at home. In their last two home games, coach Milito's side beat São Paulo (2-1) and Vasco da Gama (2-0). Paulinho, who spent five seasons at Bayer Leverkusen, scored the winning goal against São Paulo, while the well-known, ageless Hulk, who recently recovered from an injury, scored a brace against Vasco.
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Corinthians struggling in Série A for the second consecutive year. For the second consecutive year, Corinthians finds itself among the Série A teams fighting for survival. Currently, the "Musketeers" are above the relegation zone but still short of the Copa Sudamericana qualification spots. The team has gone three matches without a loss, which is uncharacteristic for them. I think it's time they succumb to this São Paulo-based opponent. The opposition is in good form, while Corinthians has been dreadful in away games this season. They lost three out of four recent away matches: against Vasco da Gama (0-2), Palmeiras (0-2), and Cruzeiro (0-3). As for injuries, defender Palacios and midfielders Ruan Oliveira and Maicon are still out. Additionally, midfielder Alex Santana and central defenders Hendrick and Kaka will be unavailable due to yellow card suspensions. The loss of Kaka is particularly significant, as he has played 16 matches this season, scoring three goals and providing one assist.
In this matchup, I see Atlético Mineiro as the favorites. I'm not looking to reinvent the wheel; I'll simply bet on their victory. Despite having played two more matches in this season's league, Corinthians has six fewer points than Atlético. Unfortunately, the once-prominent club is now fighting for survival in Série A, although their squad value ranks them among the top seven teams in the league. The main argument for this bet is the home-field advantage. Atlético has significantly improved their home performance this summer. In contrast, the "Musketeers" have lost seven of their ten away league matches. Atlético Mineiro hasn't beaten this opponent in their last four encounters, but I think now is the perfect time for the hosts to break this unfortunate streak.
Prediction for the match: Atletico Mineiro to win.
