Vitoria vs Flamengo Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

Vitoria host Flamengo in Sunday’s Brazilian Serie A clash. The home side arrive desperate for 3 points that would preserve their top flight status ,whilst the visitors have plenty to play for as they look to book a spot in next year’s Copa Libertadores.

It’s been a season of struggles for the hosts, but Vagner Mancini has done a good job since taking to the helm and now looks like leading the side to safety. Leão have lost just 1 of their last 7 outings and have put in some impressive showings of late, including a 3-1 dismantling of Palmeiras and a vital 3-2 win on the road last time out against Ponte Preta, despite having trailed 2-0 at the interval.

Nonetheless, with victory the only way safety can be guaranteed, home showings throughout the campaign have to be considered a real concern. Vitoria have won just 3 times from the 18 games contested thus far at the Barradão, and are going to have to find improvement quickly on home soil if they are to avoid playing Serie B football next year.

Flamengo may just well be the perfect opponent to do exactly that against, with Mengão arriving having lost 8 of their last 9 top flight fixtures on the road. Reinaldo Rueda’s troops have lacked any sort of resolve away from home but did at least book their place in the Copa Sudamericana final with a 4-1 aggregate win over Colombians Junior in the early hours of Friday morning, winning the away leg 2-0.

However, with such a short space of time between said fixture and this, and taking into account the return journey and the fact that the first leg of the final is next week, one would expect some significant rotation in the Flamengo starting lineup. The visitors still need a result, with their Libertadores place far from secure, but winning the final would also grant them a slot which has to be the priority as the team strive to snatch glory from what’s been a fairly poor season all things considered.

Here we have one party that struggles heavily on home soil clashing with a visiting outfit with a truly awful record on visiting territory. Flamengo’s first choice XI is undoubtedly a stronger one than Vitoria’s, as reflected in the league table, but they are set to make changes. somewhat evening things out.

The two teams look too hard to separate as regards a winner, but excellent value looks to be found in backing both nets to be hit. Vitoria are on a staggering run of 15 outings in which both teams have scored, and with them having no choice but to chase the win, an open game is the only prospect in store. Whatever side Flamengo put out will still carry potency in attack, and as such a 1-1 draw looks to be on the cards, a result that would do little for either team’s cause, but appears the most likely outcome