São Paulo vs Vasco da Gama Prediction: São Paulo must win

São Paulo and Vasco da Gama meet in Campinas as the Brasileirão returns after the international break. The Paulistas are not enjoying a good run of form and are under pressure to win. Vasco hasn't won in four league matches but will decide a place in the Copa do Brasil final at the weekend, so it will probably not field its best starting line-up against São Paulo.

In the last game, the Tricolor suffered an embarrassing 2-0 defeat against Cuiabá, who is second-to-last in the table. The result came before the international break, and the team had time to reflect on the current situation. São Paulo occupies fifth place in the standings with 47 points, four points behind fourth-placed Famengo, who has one game in hand. If the Paulistas fail to finish in the top four, they will play in the qualifying rounds to reach the Copa Libertadores group stage. Assuming they finish fifth or sixth in the Série A, of course, which is far from being guaranteed. Bahia is in seventh place, on 45 points, so Paulo must face the final part of the Brasileirão with the utmost determination. The fans are dissatisfied with recent performances and want victories. In the last nine matches, Zubeldía's team has only won two and has been eliminated from the Copa Libertadores and Copa do Brasil during this period.

The Cruzmaltino isn't in great form either, but being in the Copa do Brasil semi-finals mitigates the lackluster performances in the league. Vasco has drawn three and lost one against champion Palmeiras in its last four Série A matches. In the first leg of the cup, Vasco da Gama lost 2-1 away to Atlético Mineiro, so it's possible to dream of the final. The second leg will be next weekend, and the priority will be that game. The Cariocas are in a quiet position in mid-table, and an eventual negative result against São Paulo would not be dramatic.

It's a game between two quality teams, which aren't in the best moment. São Paulo can't count on a home advantage as the match will be in Campinas. On the other hand, Vasco da Gama has a crucial fixture a few days later in the Copa do Brasil semi-finals, so it's likely that Rafael Paiva won't field his best team or that some of his best players won't play the full 90 minutes. I'm backing São Paulo to win.