Botafogo vs Santos Prediction: Botafogo has lost confidence and top spot in the Brasileirão

The Cariocas haven't won in six games, in a very painful sequence for their fans, who have watched in disbelief as their team has declined and lost the lead in the Brasileirão. Botafogo made a spectacular first half of the tournament, reaching 13 points ahead of its opponents and the best defense in the competition with very few goals conceded. The second half of the league was catastrophic for the Lone Star side, with just 14 points from 15 games. Only Goiás and América, teams at the bottom of the table, have picked up fewer points. On the other hand, Santos is six games unbeaten and trying to escape relegation. The team has improved defensively and has been a tough one to beat.

The debut of new coach Tiago Nunes, the fifth of the season, wasn't the best, and the team showed the same issues again. The main problem is a lack of confidence, affecting the team's collective performance. The players seem to play with less intensity and appear to be lacking concentration in general, particularly in the defensive sector. This was again evident in the two-all draw with Fortaleza at the Castelão. The Glorioso is now in second place, one point behind Palmeiras, but few believe that the team can return to first place. Beating Santos is a must for Botafogo to end its winless streak, and maybe after that, the players can believe in themselves again

The Fish is in 14th place with 42 points but is only one point ahead of Cruzeiro, which is in 17th place in the relegation zone. At the moment, the balance in the standings is such that Santos can either qualify for the Copa Sudamericana or be relegated. 12th place gives access to the South American competition and is currently occupied by Internacional with 44 points. In Round 16, Santos and Botafogo played out a 2-2 draw at the Vila Belmiro, and surely the Fish wouldn't mind repeating the result.

The Brasileirão has entered a decisive phase in which the most mentally strong teams will have the most success. Botafogo is in second place but looks rather fragile. The team could beat Santos and return to the top, but at the moment, I don't see any signs of improvement. Santos won at Palmeiras and Flamengo, so I don't think the Fish will be afraid to face the Cariocas at their stadium. I'm betting on a Double Chance in favor of Santos.