Despair hits the door of Ponte Preta and Corinthians, rivals since Sunday, October 29, for the thirty-first round of the Brazilian Championship version 2017. The reasons, however, are quite different. The Macaca is threatened with demotion. Timon, after opening a big lead in the lead and putting his hand in the cup, sees his rivals approach dangerously. Scheduled to start at 17h (Brasília time) the game will be held at the Moisés Lucarelli stadium in Campinas.
The recent performance of Ponte Preta
With three defeats and a draw in the last four rounds, Ponte is eighteenth with 32 points (eight wins, eight draws and 14 losses). The situation is not even worse because Moisés Lucarelli, or simply Majestic, and the support of the fans continue to be a differential. With 24 points (seven wins, three draws and five losses), Macaca is the eleventh best captain of the Brasileirão.
This is one of the factors that have kept the hopes of the fans. Another is the fact that the team has the experience of two players who have had a pass through Corinthians: strikers Emerson Sheik and Lucca. Although they do not go through good phase.
The veteran Sheik has been there for seven games without swaying the network of rivals. The situation of Lucca, the top scorer of the team in the 2017 edition of the Brasileirão with ten goals, is even worse. He has made 13 matches that do not score a goal.
Although he has been training open throughout the week, coach Eduardo Baptista has tested several options and did not advance the team that wants to climb as a starter. One can hardly count on the experienced midfielder Renato Cajá, who is handed over to the medical department. The same thing happens with striker Luis Alí and João Vitor.
One of the mysteries is in relation to the substitute of defender Jadson, suspended due to the accumulation of yellow cards. Baptista can form the pair of behind with Rodrigo and Yago or even to appeal to Marllon and Luan Peres.
There are also tactical doubts. The coach could form the midfield with four players leaving Sheik and Lucca ahead or increasing the number of attackers by putting Gamalho on the team and leaving a midfielder out.
The current form of Corinthians
Little adept at hiding the lineup during practically the whole season, the Corinthian coach Fabio Carille also decided to adopt the tactic on the eve of the game against Ponte Preta. Signal that the pressure created by the anticipated conquest of the title is affecting commanders and commanded in Corinthians.
After making a campaign well above the average in the first round, the alvinegro of São Paulo reduced of brutal way its use in the second round. In the last three rounds, he managed to add just one point in nine disputed. He follows the leader with 53 points (17 wins, eight draws and five losses), but was threatened more closely by Palmeiras and Santos.
Even the fans gave signs of discomfort with the situation, although Corinthians did not even figure among the greatest candidates for the title at the beginning of the Brasileirao. Promoted a meeting with the players to charge improvement of results.
The board also collaborated to increase the climate of instability and extended the period of concentration of the players. An answer to the rumors that some athletes would be abusing their nights.
Faced with so much turmoil, the good news for the fans was the return of defender Pablo. Recovered from muscle damage, the athlete returned to train with his teammates and will likely return to appear among the starters this Saturday acting alongside the Paraguayan Balbuena. The biggest doubts in the squad, however, are concentrated in the middle and attack. Jadson, Marquinhos Gabriel, Romero and Claysson fight for places.
History of the bouts between Ponte Preta and Corinthians
The decision of the 1977 Paulista Championship between Ponte Preta and Corinthians is one of the most remarkable games in the history of football. In the Brasileirão, the duel had 28 matches. The Corinthians won 13, lost eight and seven draws. In the first round of the Brazilian Championship of 2017, Corinthians scored 2 to 0.
PREDICTION: Ponte Preta win @ 3.10
