Bahia vs Vitória Prediction: Who will win the Ba-Vi Classic?

The two clubs from Salvador met for the first time in 1932, and the rivalry has lasted ever since. Bahia is a historic club, having been crowned Brazilian champion twice, but the duels with its rival are always intense, even though Vitória is a smaller club. In Round 3, the Ba-Vi ended in a two-goal draw.

The Tricolor Baiano beat Botafogo 1-0 to qualify for the Copa do Brasil quarter-finals. The two teams had drawn 1-1 in the first leg in Rio de Janeiro, and Bahia took advantage of Botafogo being down to ten players for the entire second half. Uruguayan Luciano Rodríguez scored the winning goal in the 87th minute, his first in a Bahia jersey. Rogério Ceni's men finally broke their six-game winless streak. The Steel Squadron is in seventh place in the Brasileirão after having occupied the top spots for much of the season. Winning the derby against Vitória could restore lost confidence to Bahia, who has ambitions of playing in the Copa Libertadores next year.

The Barra's Lion has won its last two league games and is out of the relegation zone. Carpini's team gained confidence after beating Palmeiras 2-0 at the Allianz Parque in Round 20. The game with Cuiabá in the last round was crucial as it was against a direct opponent, and Vitória remained calm and determined, winning 1-0 with a goal from Wagner Leonardo in the 71st minute. Vitória will now play the Salvador derby against rival Bahia at the Arena Fonte Nova, and any point gained will be positive.

This year, the two Salvador sides have already met five times in different competitions, and Vitória has the advantage with two wins, two draws, and one defeat. Vitória is the current Baiano champion, so Bahia will naturally want to show that losing the state championship to the rival was accidental. Bahia hasn't been playing well lately, but the victory over Botafogo in the Copa do Brasil may have been the result Rogério Ceni's team needed.