Corinthians vs RB Bragantino Prediction: The first of three battles

The two teams will meet three times in 10 days, the first for the Brasileirão and the other two times for the Copa Sudamericana. For Corinthians, all three games are decisive as the team is in the relegation zone, and the South American competition is a chance to save the season.

The Timão have qualified for the Copa do Brasil quarter-finals and may have a chance of winning a title in this competition. The victory over Grêmio on penalties is a morale-booster for the games against Bragantino. Before the Cup tie, Corinthians had drawn 1-1 at home to Juventude in a league match where the Gaúchos finished with nine players. The result was negative, but the team has reacted well in the Copa do Brasil. The Paulistas are in 18th place with 20 points, but there are three teams with 21 points outside the Z4, so a win against Red Bull is essential.

The Massa Bruta is not having the same season as the last one. The Bragança Paulista side is in 10th place and was eliminated from the Copa do Brasil after a 3-2 home defeat against Athletico Paranaense. Bragantino was 3-0 down and only managed to reduce the deficit at the end with two goals from Thiago Borbas. Caixinha's men have conceded more goals than usual recently, showing signs of losing solidity and confidence. In its last ten league matches, RB Bragantino has won three, drawn two, and lost five. In the previous five games, counting all competitions, Bragantino has conceded nine goals.

Both teams are having disappointing campaigns, and their performances have rarely impressed. Corinthians urgently needs to win to get out of the relegation zone, and with the support of its fans, it can do it. Bragantino has been struggling on the road, and it's hard to win at the Neo Química Arena. The Paulistas have gained some confidence by qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Copa do Brasil, unlike Bragantino, who lost to Athletico-PR. I'm betting on a Double Chance in favor of Corinthians with a maximum of three goals scored.