Novorizontino vs Palmeiras Prediction: The Paulista champion is the favorite ahead of its debut in the competition

The Campeonato Paulista is the oldest state championship in Brazil. The competition began in 1902, and in addition to the rivalry between the big clubs, there has always been room for small clubs to surprise. Corinthians, with 30 victories in the competition, has the most titles. It's followed by Palmeiras with 25, and São Paulo and Santos with 22 trophies each. In addition to these four big clubs, 14 other clubs have won the Paulista in a championship that is always fascinating. The current Paulista winner is also the champion of Brazil. We're talking about Palmeiras, of course, who beat a surprising Água Santa team last year in the final. The Paulista has a different format to the Carioca. The 16 teams are divided into four groups, in which the two best-placed teams progress to the quarter-finals. The competition has twelve rounds, and curiously, the teams in each group don't play against each other but against the other twelve teams in the other three groups.

The Tiger of the Valley is the pride of Novo Horizonte, a small town 400 kilometers from São Paulo. Novorizontino plays in the Série B, where it finished in fifth place. The teams in the top four achieved promotion to the Série A, and by just one point, the Tiger could not make the dream a reality. The club is returning to the elite of Paulista football this season, having won promotion by finishing second in the Paulista A2. The club's main objective is to avoid relegation, and the team will give everything against Palmeiras.

The Verdão won the last two editions of the Paulista and Brasileirão. Abel Ferreira's team has dominated the domestic scene, and with the renewal of the Portuguese coach's contract, the club's golden period could continue. Palmeiras won't want to take it easy in its opening game, and it looks like it'll be fielding its best players. It's a sign that Palmeiras wants to start the season with a win.

With Abel Ferreira expected to field his best team, Palmeiras looks the favorite. However, it's worth remembering that the Campeonato Paulista is full of surprises, and Novorizontino has a competent team. The Tiger missed out on promotion to the Série A by just one point and could create problems for the Verdão at home. I'm backing Palmeiras to win.