Fluminense v Sao Paulo

Fluminense vs Sao Paulo Preview

A second draw on the trot for Fluminense last time out in the Brazilian top flight only served to further extend the hosts' winless run in the Brazilian top flight to four games overall ahead of this top 12 clash against Sao Paulo at the Maracana on Wednesday night while Sao Paulo extended their unbeaten run in Serie A to four games with a point on the road in a 0-0 draw at Santos.

Having managed to collect just one win from their previous nine games overall in the domestic top flight, Fluminense are lucky to still be in one of the top 12 spots as they now sit in eighth place but now find themselves a significant 10 points adrift of the Copa Libertadores qualifier places heading into this midweek encounter with Sao Paulo.

Fluminense's singular success during this period came in the form of a 5-3 home win against Goias but the hosts have also slipped to five defeats within these last nine games so Fernando Diniz's side are by no means guaranteed here.

If Diniz's name is familiar, it's because Fluminense's coach is currently juggling roles between club and country and his side had to settle for a point in the recent Flu-Fla local derby against former Brazilian coach, Tite.

An improved run of four games without defeat have helped lift Sao Paulo up into the top half of the Serie A table where they occupy 10th place on the ladder following wins against Cruzeiro and Bragantino along with picking up points in draws with Athletico PR and Santos as well.

However, the bigger picture also shows Sao Paulo have had problems in picking up league wins in Serie A on a consistent basis as the visitors have managed to capture just five wins from their last 18 matches overall in the Brazilian top flight, with all five wins being achieved on home soil at their Morumbi Stadium.

Results away from home have therefore suffered for quite some time and this is underlined by the fact that Sao Paulo have now failed to win any of their last 16 outings on the road in Serie A, losing eight and drawing eight while their last win on their travels came in a 4-0 romp away at Goias just over a year ago.

Fluminense v Sao Paulo Verdict

Both Fluminense and Sao Paulo are therefore displaying inconsistent, if not poor form at the moment, so the goals market may be a prudent option here especially as 10 of Fluminense's 16 home games have resulted in Under 2.5 goals, while the same ratio applies to Sao Paulo's 16 away games to date this term.

Having won two of the last four meetings though, Fluminense may just sneak a narrow win here on Wednesday night in a low-scoring game.

Therefore, our main bet will be Under 2.5 goals @ 1.57

Other side bets worth considering:

Fluminense win @ 2.20

Correct Score: Fluminense 2-0 @ 9.50