TFT Issue 529!
FreeHowdy guys and girls!
Featured game
Sport Recife vs Gremio – either side not to score at 5/6.
Today’s featured game is the Brazilian Serie A game between Sport Recife and Gremio.
Sport Recife have been one of the casualties of Serie A this season and I personally don’t see them escaping the drop into Serie B. I don’t think they have enough firepower not determination to do it, essentially. They’ve appointed a new boss – Sergio Nunes – following the sacking of Waldemar Lemos and maybe that will have a catapult affect on the team. However, it’s going to take more than that to bail them out this season because of their lack of quality. The pitch in Recife is notoriously bad but you look at that team and tell me where the goals will come from because I can’t see where. I don’t rate the players that they actually have but considering that forward Marquinhos Gabriel and veteran midfielder Tobi are both out today, it’s hard to see the hosts playing their usual game here. Additionally, defenders Diego Ivo and Reinaldo are both on the sidelines too so on the face of it, you would be right to expect a tough game for the lowest-scoring home side in Serie A.
However, Gremio really aren’t in a good position to capitalise, to be blunt. I thought they played well in their last game and their confidence is growing from game to game. They’ve suffered a few hammer-blows prior to this game due to international commitments, injuries, and suspension, however. Star striker Marcelo Moreno misses out and they lack a target man without him. Timeless Ze Roberto is out, promising youngster Fernando is out, old battleaxe Gilberto Silva is out, and playmaker Elano is out. What that essentially means is that Gremio’s midfield has been decimated by absentees. I won’t deny that Kleber and Andre Lima can score goals from time to time, as can pacey prospect Leandro, but they need support from midfield that they just don’t have today. Gremio are not a side with a lot of depth and quite how Luxemburgo’s side can win this tough away game with so many important players missing is beyond me. It’s without any question that he’s still one of the best coaches in Brazil but but he’ll need to perform a miracle today so even score with so many integral players missing.
The danger with this tip is that the season is drawing to a conclusion and both sides need points for varying reasons. That determination can piss all over my logic, sadly, and the way things have gone lately make me believe that this one will now most likely end 4-4. However, cynicism aside, the fact is that the home side are not good at scoring goals and the away side have a lot of big absentees. For me, this should be a very low-scoring game and thus taking either side not to score at 5/6 looks appealing to me.
Verdict: Either side not to score at 5/6.
Team news
Brazilian Serie A:
Palmeiras – Valdivia, Juninho, Fernandinho, Joao Vitor, Wesley, Barcos, and Artur are absent. Luan and Maikon Leite return. Neutral venue.
Coritiba – Escudero, Demerson, Rafael Bonfim, Emerson, Pereira, Ruidiaz, Sergio Manoel, Keirrison, Jackson, Everton Costa, and Ayrton are absent. Cleiton returns.
Sport Recife – Tobi, Diego Ivo, Willian Rocha, Reinaldo, and Marquinhos Gabriel are absent. New boss – Sergio Nunes.
Gremio – Marcelo Moreno, Elano, Fernando, Ze Roberto, Gilberto Silva, Bertoglio, and Fabio Aurelio are absent. Leo Gago returns.