Internacional vs Palmeiras Prediction: The Champion is in crisis and needs a win

Palmeiras is going through its first major crisis since Abel Ferreira took over the team in November 2020. The first hundred matches with the Portuguese at the helm were incredible, with only nine defeats. In the last seven games, the Paulistas have suffered four losses. In this negative sequence, the Champion was eliminated from the Copa do Brasil and has 12 points less than leader Botafogo. Only victory matters to Palmeiras, as the team cannot afford to fall further behind, but winning at the Beira-Rio has always been challenging. Internacional has four wins, one draw, and one loss in six home matches.

In the last round, the Colorado lost 2-0 against Fluminense at the Maracanã. The Gaúchos broke a run of ten games without defeat, counting all competitions. Mano Menezes' team recovered from a terrible month of May when they suffered four consecutive losses in the Brasileirão. Internacional occupies a modest 10th place with 21 points, but things can change quickly with the balance that reigns in the Brazilian championship. Flamengo and rivals Grêmio share second place in the table with 26 points, just 5 points more than Internacional. Palmeiras is a strong team, no question about it, but this is the best moment for Internacional to beat the Champion. Qatar World Cup star Enner Valencia, signed from Fenerbahce, can help his new team in his home debut.

With just one win in its last seven games, the Verdão is going through a dark spell. All great teams go through difficult periods occasionally, and as they are not used to losing, things tend to take on a more significant dimension. Since the first defeat with Bahia, the team has never found itself again, at least internally. The only victory in this negative cycle came in the Copa Libertadores, a competition in which the Paulistas had already qualified for the next stage. This week's home elimination from the Copa do Brasil against rivals São Paulo was a blow in a return to the harsh reality of a crisis. The Champion has to react quickly and could be at the Beira-Rio, the beginning of the recovery.

History is on Internacional's side as they host Palmeiras in the Brasileirão. In 34 games at their stadium, Internacional has won 21 games and lost only 4. On the other hand, Palmeiras will give everything to win. It is hard to predict this one, so I will bet on a game with few goals, as everything indicates that it will be a very tactical match.