Bragantino vs Grêmio – News and Probable Lineups

Bragantino will face Gremio at the Cicero de Souza Marques Stadium on Sunday for the 24th round of the Brazilian Championship, with both teams eager to bounce back from recent unsatisfactory performances.

Massa Bruta is aiming to break their four-match winless streak, while the visitors come in under pressure after experiencing their worst defeat of the season, sitting just two points above the relegation zone.

Match overview

Entering the weekend, Bragantino is in seventh place with 32 points from 22 matches, but their recent performances have not reflected several positive outcomes.

Since the season resumed following the World Cup, Massa Bruta has managed to secure just one victory out of eight attempts and is still looking for their first win in the Brazilian Championship during this stretch.

Their latest league match ended with a 1-1 draw against Athletico-PR, where they took the lead but faced mounting pressure towards the end, and they followed that up with a 2-2 draw against Atletico-MG on Wednesday, ultimately getting eliminated from the Copa Sudamericana with a 3-2 aggregate score.

With their continental campaign now concluded, Bragantino’s primary focus shifts to the Brasileirao; however, the challenge of Sunday’s fixture is significant, marking their fourth match in just 12 days, leaving limited time for recovery or prep.

At home, Bragantino has had a relatively balanced run but has struggled to convert their territorial dominance into results – they are likely to have more possession and sustain prolonged periods in Gremio’s half, yet their capacity to penetrate a solid defense could be crucial once more.

The hosts will need to move the ball quicker and effectively exploit the space when Gremio is compelled to defend for long stretches.

On the other hand, Gremio is striving to regain stability after a damaging 3-0 defeat to Atletico-MG, marking their heaviest loss since Luis Castro’s appointment.

This setback followed consecutive victories against Mirassol and Sao Paulo, which seemed to indicate a recovery after their elimination from the Copa Sudamericana, but the defeat in Belo Horizonte underscored some enduring defensive dilemmas throughout the season.

Their biggest challenge remains their away form, as Gremio has yet to register a single win on the road in the Brasileirao, netting only six goals across their 11 away fixtures.

The initial encounter between these two teams this season painted a clear picture of this issue, as Gremio initially took the lead and posed a threat on the counter, only to gradually allow Bragantino to seize control, resulting in the hosts amassing shots and pressure before eventually equalizing.

Gremio must avoid becoming overly passive again, especially facing a Bragantino team likely to dominate possession at home.

However, Castro’s squad does hold a significant advantage in terms of preparation time – while the hosts have been tied up in a grueling run of fixtures, Gremio had a full week to recuperate and address their weaknesses.

This additional downtime may assist the visitors in competing with heightened intensity, though they still need to translate their enhanced prep into a more persuasive display away from home.

Team News

Bragantino is expected to recall multiple players who started in the Brasileirao, with Tiago Volpi likely set to return in goal after Cleiton played in the Copa Sudamericana.

Gustavo Marques and Bruninho have been cleared to return by the medical staff, while Vanderlan, Caue, and Davi Gomes are still out due to ongoing recovery.

Vagner Mancini will also need to manage the fatigue of players who participated in Wednesday’s match against Atletico-MG.

However, with Bragantino’s attention now completely on the Brasileirao, the manager has less incentive to make sweeping changes and might field a lineup close to his favored XI.

Meanwhile, Gremio will miss Walter Kannemann, who is suspended after accumulating three yellow cards. Gustavo Martins, Juan Nardoni, and Dodi are also unavailable due to injuries.

Wallace and Wagner Leonardo are anticipated to form the center-back partnership, while Marlon is expected to return at left-back.

Mathias Villasanti is available once again after being rested for the defeat against Atletico-MG and should return to the midfield alongside Erick Noriega and Filip Krovinovic.

Danilo Barbosa has been registered with the Brazilian Football Confederation but is still working to achieve full match fitness and is likely to start on the bench.

Bragantino probable starting XI:

Volpi; Sant’Anna, Henrique, Marques, Capixaba; Fernandes, Gabriel; Herrera; Barbosa, Vinicinho; Pitta

Gremio probable starting XI:

Weverton; Caito, Wallace, Leonardo, Marlon; Noriega, Villasanti, Krovinovic; Pavon, Vinicius, Amuzu

Bragantino’s ability to push the game into the opponent’s half should provide them with a slight edge, especially against a Gremio defense that will be altered due to Kannemann’s absence.

Nonetheless, the hosts’ recent difficulties against well-organized defensive setups and the fatigue incurred from their packed schedule suggest a straightforward victory may be elusive.

We anticipate a closely contested, low-scoring encounter, with Bragantino’s home field advantage and increased attacking intent ultimately enabling them to narrowly overcome Gremio.