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Aron Wright - May 28, 2018
Cruzeiro vs Palmeiras
Brazilian Serie A
Date: Thursday, 31 May 2018
Kick-Off at 01:45 UK / 02:45 CET
Venue: Estadio Governador Magalhaes Pinto, Belo Horizonte.
Last term’s runners-up slipped-up at the weekend when they shockingly fell 2-3 at home to the likes of Sport Recife to stay three points short of Flamengo at the top of the standings after seven rounds of the competition. They will have a very challenging task to rebound from such loss just three days later when they are to travel to Belo Horizonte to take on the in-form Cruzeiro side in one of the most interesting fixtures of the mid-week Matchday.
Raposa climbed up to tenth in the league ladder after winning three of last four matches in Serie A. The hosts will thus come into the clash with Verdao high on confidence looking to try and break into the top six with a result here.
The hosts have been struggling for goals ever since the start of the season, but they own league’s best defensive record having only shipped three goals in seven opening games. The recipe for success here is crystal clear when it comes to Mano Menezes and his troops, but will they be able to maintain the impressive defensive form against one of the strongest attacking lines in the competition?
Palmeiras revealed plenty of defensive holes at the weekend and it is really hard to expect them grabbing a result against highly-motivated and in-form opposition which has won seven of last eight games in all competitions. The main bet will thus be Cruzeiro DNB at the odds of 1.66, while braver tipsters can try with the hosts to keep a clean sheet at 2.62.
