Botafogo vs Cruzeiro Prediction: Botafogo's nightmare seems to have no end

The unbelievable has happened again to Botafogo, a club that seems to be cursed. In the last game, one of those strange episodes happened again to the Lone Star team. With the game tied at zero in the empty stadium of relegated Coritiba, the referee, who had given five minutes of added time, signaled a penalty for Botafogo in the 95th minute. Tiquinho Soares didn't miss, and there were tears of joy from the players who hadn't won for eight games. When everyone thought the game would be over, the referee allowed Coritiba to make an attacking move. Botafogo incredibly gave away space in its defense and conceded the equalizer.

This end of the Brasileirão has been torture for the Glorioso players and fans. The team led the Série A by thirteen points and lost it in a terrible run of nine games without a win. I can't remember ever seeing anything like it in football, as in most of these games, Botafogo conceded goals in the last few minutes. Everyone wants the season to end because these players aren't psychologically fit to play due to the trauma they've experienced. Botafogo is second, but the fans don't really care; this season will stay in their memories forever.

The Fox is close to achieving its goal of escaping relegation. With a four-point lead over Bahia, it's difficult for the team to relegate, but anything is possible in football. The last round will be with Palmeiras, who may need to score to become champions, so a draw at Botafogo's ground could be important. The Cariocas are going through a terrible time, so it won't be too surprising if Cruzeiro doesn't lose at the Nilton Santos.

Botafogo could still be champions, but it would be a real coup de théâtre if that happened. It's very difficult for the players to feel psychologically fit to play after the dramatic games that stunned the football world. The players feel humiliated and are the target of their fans' wrath and their opponents' derision. It's uncertain whether the team will finally be able to react, so I'm betting on a draw.