Cruzeiro vs América-MG Prediction: The Fox and the Rabbit meet in a Minas Gerais classic

The biggest classic in Minas Gerais is undoubtedly the match between Cruzeiro and Atlético Mineiro, but the meeting between the Fox and the Rabbit also has a lot of tradition. The two teams from Belo Horizonte have already faced each other four times this year. América won all three meetings in the Campeonato Mineiro, and Cruzeiro won 4-0 away in Round 6 of the Brasileirão. The Rabbit's situation is very complicated, occupying the second-to-last place with a nine-point gap to get out of the Z4, making this match absolutely crucial. This derby could be the turning point for América-MG, as a victory over its rival would be very morale-boosting, but it will take a special performance for that to happen. Cruzeiro is in 13th place but only has four points more than Bahia, the first team in the relegation zone, so the Fox also needs points to be safe.

The Mineiros lost at the Maracanã to Fluminense by the minimum margin in the last round. Cruzeiro defended well but conceded a goal from a direct free kick. After two away trips in a row, the team is now back at home, but that doesn't mean victories. The Fox has better results away than at home, where the team hasn't won for three months. Only last-placed Coritiba has fewer points at home. Beating rival América would be a double joy for Cruzeiro fans after such a long time without a home triumph.

The last-minute defeat at home to direct opponent Vasco da Gama has further aggravated América's pain. At this point, every match is a final for the Rabbit, but losing to teams in direct competition carries even more weight. If América had won, the side would have been just three points behind the Cariocas, but with the defeat, the Mineiros are now nine points down. In the classic with Cruzeiro, nothing matters more than victory, but the players have to take their minds off their team's position in the table and fight until the end.

I'm leaning towards a surprise because Cruzeiro isn't strong at home. The blue color of the Fox's jerseys may cause the Rabbit some inferiority complex since the club is smaller, but América has to fight for survival. The two teams have won the same eight points in the last ten matches, so we shouldn't conclude that Cruzeiro is in better form than its rival. That being the case, I'm taking a Double Chance on América-MG.