Sao Paulo v Cruzeiro – Saturday 9th July – Morumbi Sao Paulo, Brazil (23:30)
Rivaldo - Sao Paulo
Two giants of Brazilian football go head to head in a contest that could prove vital come the end of the season. These two have always been title contenders and they will be out to maintain that record and attempt to dent their rival’s pursuit.
Sao Paulo fell off the pace last season as an injury crisis struck them at a vital point last campaign, ultimately resulting in them finishing in a below par 9th place. This season they have started off with a bang, as they sit in 2nd spot at the moment and are having a real go at the title thus far. Manager Paulo César Carpegiani has brought in some experienced faces in the likes of Brazilian Legend Rivaldo and fellow compatriot Luís Fabiano. These two have a wealth of experience as they have both played in the most competitive leagues throughout Europe. Although Rivaldo might not have the sharpness of his youth days, he still possesses a highly educated left foot that could pick out a magnificent pass or rattle the net. Luis Fabiano is an out and out striker and one can be sure he will contribute a handsome tally throughout the season. A lot will lie on the shoulders of these two and Paulo César Carpegiani will be looking to them to help the younger players’ blossom and help them reach higher heights and be crowned champions.
Cruzeiro finished runners up last season, falling short by 3 points to current champions Fluminense. This season has seen them get off to a slow start as some poor results see them lagging in 10th place on the table. They have just come off a morale boosting victory as they defeated fellow title rivals Vasco da Gama by 3-0. Manager Joel Santana will be looking to build on this victory and lift his squad to the heights of last season. The danger man for Cruziero has to be the Brazilian Brandao who is on loan from French team Marseille. The lanky striker will be out to help the team go one step further and be crowned champions come the end of the season. Although it be early stages of the season, Cruzeiro don’t want to fall too far off the pace and Joel Santana knows that a string of positive results will get them right back in the title hunt. Club captain Fabio will be expected to rally his troops and get the best possible results to crown them champions come the end of the season.
This will be a tight encounter as we are still in the early stages in the campaign. Both teams know the significance of a victory. Sao Paulo should have enough to get the maximum points.
