Fortaleza vs Santos: Brasileiro Clash Preview
In a crucial Brasileiro encounter, Fortaleza will host Santos at the Castelao on Thursday, with both teams eager to secure a much-needed victory. According to Sports Mole, Fortaleza will be looking to stop a lengthy losing streak, while Santos aim to prove their recent win against Vitoria was not a one-off.
Match Preview
Fortaleza, under the management of Juan Pablo Vojvoda, have endured a tough start to their 2025 top-flight campaign. The team has lost five consecutive matches, including a 5-0 league thrashing at the hands of top-of-the-table Flamengo. As Sports Mole reports, this poor run has left Fortaleza 17th in the table with 10 points, only above 16th-placed Vitoria on goal difference.
Santos, managed by Cleber Xavier, have also struggled in the opening months of the season. With seven defeats, two draws, and only one win from their last 10 matches, they find themselves 18th in the table with a mere eight points. As noted by Sports Mole, Santos will be without Neymar due to his red card in the previous match and a COVID-19 test.
Team News
Fortaleza will be without midfielder Pedro Augusto due to suspension, and they are also likely to be missing fellow central player Lucas Sasha. In their absence, Vojvoda is expected to start a trio of Tomas Pochettino, Jose Welison, and Emmanuel Martinez in the middle third. Up top, striker Deyverson will be supported by Marinho and Lucca Prior Pimenta out wide.
As Sports Mole reports, Santos could turn to 20-year-old striker Deivid Washington to fill in for Neymar, alongside Alvaro Barreal and Guilherme in the front three. Midfielder Tomas Rincon was taken off with an injury against Botafogo, and Diego Pituca will take his place alongside Ze Rafael in a double pivot.
Possible Lineups
Fortaleza possible starting lineup:
Ricardo; Tinga, Kuscevic, Mancha, Mancuso; Pochettino, Welison, Martinez; Marinho, Deyverson, Pimenta
Santos possible starting lineup:
Brazao; Escobar, Ivaldo, Basso, Souza; Pituca, Rafael; Barreal, Rollheiser, Guilherme; Washington
Prediction
According to Sports Mole, Fortaleza may be in poor form overall, but they have been better on their own turf, while Santos have lost all but one of their away league games this year. The prediction is for a Fortaleza win with a scoreline of 1-0.
Data Analysis
Sports Mole’s analysis suggests the most likely outcome of this match is a Fortaleza win with a probability of 44.6%. A win for Santos has a probability of 27.72%, and a draw has a probability of 27.7%. The most likely scoreline for a Fortaleza win is 1-0 with a probability of 13.08%.
In conclusion, this Brasileiro clash between Fortaleza and Santos promises to be an intense encounter, with both teams fighting to secure a much-needed victory. As reported by Sports Mole, Fortaleza’s home advantage and Santos’ struggles away from home make Fortaleza the likely winners.
