Fluminense vs Fortaleza Prediction: The Cearenses still dream of the title

With Botafogo's draw in this round, if Fortaleza beats Fluminense, the third-ranked team will narrow the gap to the Série A leader to three points. The club's main objective has always been to finish in the top four places to qualify directly for the Copa Libertadores group stage, but unexpectedly, the title is still possible.

The Tricolor das Laranjeiras remains in a delicate situation in the table, as it has the same 37 points as Criciúma and Bragantino, two teams in the relegation zone. Fluminense is in 16th place, outside the Z4, because it has more wins than its opponents. This meeting with Fortaleza is crucial for the Cariocas, who urgently need points, especially a win, as the last time they won a game was four rounds ago. Fortaleza is one of the best sides in Brazil, so Fluminense must play at a high level to get a good result. The visitors want to win to move closer to first place, so they should play more offensively, which can be exploited by Fluminense.

After the away draw against Palmeiras, Fortaleza has regained confidence and has reached the final stage of the competition with a chance of fighting for the title, despite being an outsider. In the last round, the Lion beat Vasco da Gama 3-0 at home and maintained its unbeaten run at the Arena Castelão. Fortaleza is the only team in the Brasileirão without a home defeat. Vojvoda's men usually struggle on the road but must be more daring than usual at the Maracanã.

It's a game without favorites and difficult to predict. Fluminense is in a dramatic situation, very close to the relegation zone. On the other hand, Fortaleza can narrow the gap to leader Botafogo to three points with a victory. Fluminense hasn't won in its last three games, so isn't feeling too confident. The visitors have won their past two matches but have only five victories away in the league, a modest record for the third-placed team. I'm betting on a Double Chance in favor of Fortaleza, which has a golden opportunity to re-enter the fight for the title.