Grêmio have two new injury issues for this game as Leo Moura and Barrios were ruled out. Edilson is the first-choice for the Right-back position and is expected to start, while Everton will play as a striker, which represents a major attacking setback. In the defence, Geromel is back in contention which is a major defensive improvement while Marcelo Oliveira is still recovering from injury. They are in great mood on the back of two consecutive wins, the last one by a comfortable margin in a tough fixture. The win is their main goal for this game as a draw would be seen as a disappointment, but not a huge one due to their current mood. They’ll assume the initiative from the start with an attacking approach and will take risks to grab the win if the scores remain level late on.
Bahia have no new injury issues and welcome Edson back from injury. This represents a slight midfield improvement with Juninho expected to drop to the bench. They have 3 notable absentees for this game as Armero is out due to international duty while Regis and Hernane are still recovering from injury. Their absences represent a major quality downgrade, especially from an attacking perspective. They are in great spirits after securing two consecutive home wins, the last in a tough fixture with an efficient performance. A draw would be seen as a great achievement given the quality of the opponents. Accordingly, they’ll deploy a cautious and reactive approach that perfectly suits them and will not take significant risks throughout the game unless they find themselves in a trailing position.
Verdict & Prediction
Grêmio are in great spirits for this game after securing their second consecutive win in a tough midweek fixture. They ended up winning by a comfortable margin but the game was closer than the scoreline suggest, with their clinical finishing in key moments making the difference. The mood around their camp is great with the fans enjoying their strong season start and starting to believe they can challenge for the title.
Prediction: Gremio -1.00 Asian Handicap
Odds: 2.04 Pinnacle
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