São Paulo vs Botafogo Prediction: The leader has a big hurdle to jump over

The Morumbi will be the scene of a great match in the opening match of the second half of the Brasileirão. Botafogo finished the first part of the league comfortably in first place, with no opponents close behind. In 19 games, the Glorioso won 15, drew two, and lost two, and have a thirteen-point advantage over Palmeiras. The gap is large, but the team can't take anything for granted in a championship as difficult and exhausting as the Brasileirão. São Paulo plays at home in front of its fans and is boosted by qualifying for the final of the Copa do Brasil against rival Corinthians. In the second leg of the semi-finals, the Tricolor Paulista managed to turn the tie around by winning 2-0 in front of 62,000 people. São Paulo is hard to beat at home, and Botafogo must be on top form to win at the Morumbi.

With two qualifications achieved in a week, one for the final of the Copa do Brasil and the other for the quarter-finals of the Copa Sudamericana, the Paulistas face this game with Botafogo with confidence. Dorival Júnior can make a few changes against the Cariocas, as the match with Liga de Quito is a few days later. Even if São Paulo doesn't play their best team, the players who come in will also have quality; São Paulo's squad has plenty of solutions. The team is in ninth place and is looking to move up to a position more suited to its value, but the cup matches are perhaps taking some focus away from the league.

In the last round, the Lone Star team went into the break trailing 1-0 at home to Internacional but turned it around brilliantly and ended up winning 3-1. It was the first win since Tiquinho Soares's injury, the Brasileirão's top scorer, and it was also a demonstration of the collective strength that defines winning teams. This week the club announced the signing of veteran Diego Costa, who made a name for himself at Atlético Madrid and Chelsea, to bolster their attack. Botafogo is on the right track to win the title if it maintains its focus and determination. São Paulo will be another hurdle in the way of the Cariocas, who have beaten Palmeiras, Grêmio, and Flamengo away, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in the table, respectively.

I'm betting on a Double Chance for Botafogo. São Paulo is strong at home and has a lot of confidence, but the league leader has already shown that it has the character to play in any stadium. In the first round this year, Botafogo beat São Paulo 2-1 at home, and last season the Cariocas won 1-0 at The Morumbi.