Botafogo will be aiming to end their recent poor run in the Brasileiro Serie A as they face Bragantino at the Estadio Nilton Santos on Wednesday.
This match promises to be an intriguing encounter with both teams having something to prove.
Match Preview
Botafogo's Recent Form
Botafogo has struggled in their last few outings, being winless in their previous two games.
Their recent 2-1 defeat to newly-promoted Criciuma was a significant setback, seeing them drop to fourth place in the standings with 21 points from 11 matches.
Defensive frailties have been apparent, with the team conceding in their last three league games, a stark contrast to the clean sheets they kept earlier in the season.
Bragantino's Performance
Bragantino, on the other hand, managed to bounce back from a defeat against Palmeiras with a 2-1 victory over Vitoria.
This win has propelled them to sixth place with 18 points. However, their form has been inconsistent, alternating between wins and losses in their last six matches.
Their away form is also concerning, with just one win in five away games this season.
Team News
Botafogo
Botafogo will be without several key players. Jefferson Savarino is on international duty with Venezuela, and Rafael da Silva is sidelined with a knee injury.
Jeffinho, Pablo, and Junior Santos are also out due to thigh issues. Despite these absences,
Botafogo will look to leverage their home advantage and historical dominance over Bragantino, having been unbeaten in their last six meetings.
Bragantino
Bragantino will miss right-back Jose Hurtado, who is with the Ecuador national team.
Additionally, Nathan Camargo remains out with a knee injury. The attacking duties will fall to veteran striker Eduardo Sasha, supported by Vitinho and Helinho on the flanks.
Bragantino's challenge will be to overcome their poor away record in this fixture, having lost five of the last six games as visitors.
Predicted Lineups
Botafogo: Victor; Ponte, Barboza, Bastos, Cuiabano; Gregore, Romero, Tche; Santos, Soares, Henrique
Bragantino: Schwengber; Jadsom, Candido, Henrique, Capixaba; Raul, Ramires, Evangelista; Helinho, Sasha, Vitinho
Prediction
Given the current form and home advantage, Botafogo are slightly favoured to win this encounter.
Our prediction for the match is a narrow 1-0 victory for Botafogo. While Bragantino has shown resilience, their inconsistent away performances might be their undoing in this critical clash.
Botafogo 
Bragantino 
