Atlético-MG vs Santos Prediction: Who will win, the Rooster or the Fish?

This match has a few points of interest, most notably that Atlético Mineiro is debuting its new stadium, the MRV Arena. The Belo Horizonte club will welcome Santos as guest of honor in the 80th official meeting between the two teams. A new stadium brings extra motivation and enthusiasm to players and fans, so a new look and renewed ambition are expected from Atlético-MG. The Rooster will be keen to beat the Fish on the opening day of its new home. Santos won the last round after a winless streak of five matches and may want to spoil the Miners' party.

Atlético-MG

The Galo lost against Vasco da Gama in a flooded Maracanã. After two wins in a row, Atlético Mineiro certainly didn't expect to lose against the penultimate-placed team, but in front of a frenzied crowd and heavy rain, the Cariocas came out on top. Scolari's team is now in 11th place. To give the club a victory in the MRV Arena opening, we can expect a strong start from the Rooster in this match against Santos. The fans will be very supportive for sure. At home, Atlético is struggling, and it will be interesting to see if the new stadium will influence the team's behavior.

Expected opening lineup for Atlético-MG

Everson; Saravia, Lemos, Jemerson, Arana; Otávio, Battaglia, Igor Gomes; Patrick, Paulinho, Hulk.

Santos

A goal from Furch in the 90th minute gave the team a victory over Grêmio after Santos found themselves trailing. The Peixe is still in the relegation zone, but it didn't let Bahia escape, who also won in the last round. It would be important for the team to pick up a point at the Arena MRV to boost their confidence. In Round 22, Santos again plays away to last-placed América-MG in a crucial match for both clubs.

Expected opening lineup for Santos

João Paulo; Messias, João Basso, Alex, Dodô; Rodrigo Fernández, Jean Lucas, Lucas Lima; Soteldo, Mendoza, Marcos Leonardo.

Expert Betting Tips

It's a celebration day for the Rooster with the new venue being inaugurated, so this extra motivating factor makes Atlético the favorite. Santos has only won one away match in the Série A but might want to spoil its host's party. Atlético-MG's win has low odds, so I'll add a goal limit to increase them a little.