Flamengo x Goiás
Vitória x Atlético Paranaense
São Paulo x Grêmio
Santos x Vasco da Gama
Botafogo x Corinthians
Atlético Miniero x Ceará
Internacional x Palmeiras
Guarani x Prudente
Atlético Goianiense x Cruzeiro
Three games on Saturday as the round opens with Fluminense travelling to Avaí. After a blistering start Avaí have gone off the boil but will still provide a big test for a Fluminense side that is showing some promise under Muricy Ramalho. Goiás take their back to back wins to the Maracanã against a Flamengo side buoyed by their superb win at the Pacaembu against Palmeiras in midweek. The loss of Adriano hasn't affect the Rubro-Negro but they need to sort out the future of Vágner Love sooner rather than later. Atlético-PR's midweek win over Botafogo will have been a big boost for the club. Vitória have struggled to get their league season off the ground and need to improve on their form rather than rely on winning the Copa do Brasil to save their season.
In the early games on Sunday, the travel sick Grêmio should pose no resistance to São Paulo at the Morumbi despite their recent mixed results. The two teams are next to each other in the league table with identical records but Grêmio are ahead on goals scored at the moment. Vasco's return to the big time isn't going as planned and a trip to the Vila Belmiro the form they are in isn't what is needed. Saying that, Santos failed to score for the first time since a defeat to Flamengo at the end of October last year in midweek but you don't hold out much chance for Vasco. Leaders Corinthians have another tough examination as they travel to the Engenhão to take on Botafogo. Corinthians are still one of two teams with a 0 in the L column this year and will be looking for the victory that will take them into the break at the top of the table. The other team with a 0 in the L Column is newly promoted Ceará and they travel to the Minerão to take on an Atlético-MG that has lost it's last three games.
In the late games on Sunday, Internacional host Palmeiras and both sides will be looking to bounce back from midweek defeats. Inter currently lie in 16th in the table and despite reaching the semi finals of the Libertadores have nothing really positive to show from the year so far. Palmeiras have a 50% record and the manner of their late defeat to Flamengo in midweek would have been a huge blow to them. Guarani entertain Prudente after their superb late victory at the São Januário in midweek. Prudente claimed a valuable win over Atlético-GO in midweek and can't be written off in this one. When Prudente want to turn up and do the business they can and Guarani will need to be at their best. Finally this first part of the season closes when rock bottom Atlético-GO entertain Cruzeiro. No matter what happens on Sunday Atlético-GO will be bottom of the table through the break whilst Cruzeiro will be looking to build on their midweek performance when they became the first team to keep Santos goalless in the long time.
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