Packed by an unbeaten run of five matches, Coritiba has a direct rival in the fight against relegation this Sunday, November 12. In the stadium Couto Pereira, in Curitiba, will receive Ponte Preta. The match, which is part of the schedule of the thirty-fourth round of the Brazilian Championship, starts scheduled for 19h (Brasília time).
Coritiba’s recent performance
On Thursday night, November 9, Coxa scored for the fifth straight round as they drew 2-2 with Fluminense in Maracanã. This series of three wins and two draws took the alviverde out of the relegation zone. He finished the day of number 33 in 15th place with 39 points (ten wins, nine draws and 14 losses).
Remaining 15 points in contention, it needs six more to reach the number that is considered by the mathematicians as sufficient to escape the fall for Series B. In this mission, the duel against the Black Bridge finishes gaining more importance, since a victory besides leaving the Thigh closest to his goal would also practically ‘eliminate’ a rival in that fight.
The coach Marcelo Oliveira was one of the first to emphasize the importance of the game and called for a mobilization of the fans. He showed that he regards the duel as a kind of decision. The board of Coritiba endorsed the evaluation of its coach and maintained the promotion that reduced prices for the tickets in the games in the paranaense capital.
The clash in Maracanã marked the return to the team of striker Kleber. Considered one of the most important athletes of the cast, he embezzled the club in most of the Brasileirão. He was suspended for 15 matches and then suffered a serious knee injury. Many analysts consider its absence an important factor for the alververde’s low offensive performance. With 38 goals scored has the fourth worst attack among teams that are outside the relegation zone.
The coach, however, said he wants to be careful in using Kleber. Still far from his best physical conditioning, the athlete should be related to the reserve bench with Henrique Almeida being kept as the starter in the attack command.
The current form of Ponte Preta
In the face of the reserve team of Grêmio, who had not been able to win a game at all times that was used in the Brasileirão 2017, and working at home, Ponte Preta was beaten 1-0 on Wednesday, November 8.
Analysts and fans did not even have to go to great lengths to hunt witches to find fault. The blame for the trip was for the account of the driver Fernando Bob. The athlete was sent off in the 18 minutes of the first half and left his team with one less player making it easier for the gauchos.
After the second consecutive loss, Ponte Preta continued in eighteenth position and will hardly leave the relegation zone in this round. With 35 points (nine wins, eight draws and 16 losses) he could, at most, draw even with Vitória, the first team outside the sticking region. However, it has a five-goal deficit compared to the red-black Bahian. Thus, besides winning and cheering for a defeat of Victory against Grêmio, still had to ‘discount’ this disadvantage.
Something highly improbable especially in view of the disastrous campaign of the Macaca as a visitor. The campineira team is the worst in this matter in the Brasileirão having added only eight (one win, five draws and ten losses) of the 48 who played in that situation.
Coach Eduardo Baptista has announced that he intends to take an offensive stance in Couto Pereira, but he still does not know if he can count on his most experienced striker. Emerson Sheik left the match against Gremio in pain. It was related to travel, but must be re-evaluated by the medical department that will determine if it can be made available to the coach.
History of the bouts between Coritiba and Ponte Preta
The Macaca took the best in nine of their 21 matches against the Coxa throughout the history of the Brasileirão. The Albverde won seven times and there were five draws. In the first round of 2017, the Ponte thrashed by 4 to 0.
PREDICTION: Coritiba win @ 1.85
