Preview: Juventude vs. Santos - prediction, team news, lineups

Both Juventude and Santos will be hoping to break poor runs of form when they meet in the Brasileiro on Sunday.

Juve are 17th in the table, while Peixe are one point better off in 14th, showing just how tight it is in the bottom half of the division.

Match preview

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Juventude fell into the relegation zone on goal difference following a 2-1 defeat to Athletico Paranaense last weekend.

Marquinhos Santos's side took the lead against Furacao through a Ricardo Bueno penalty, but conceded twice in eight minutes to go home with nothing.

It means that Juve, who were promoted from the second tier last season, are winless in their last six matches.

Manager Santos is in his third spell in charge and now comes up against a club where he played youth football in the 1990s.

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Santos are under their third permanent boss of the campaign, with Fabio Carille replacing Fernando Diniz earlier this month.

The 47-year-old has overseen two 0-0 draws in his first two league games in charge as well as an exit from the Copa do Brasil against Athletico Paranaense.

Carille has a big job on his hands to halt a nine-game winless streak in all competitions, which has seen Santos fall to just a point above the relegation zone and also be knocked out of the Copa Sudamericana.

Only Ceara have picked up fewer points on the road this season than Peixe, who have just one away win to their name.

Despite only Chapecoense and Bahia conceding more goals than these two clubs this season, the game between them earlier this year ended 0-0.

Team News

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Juventude right-back Rafael Forster was sent off against Athletico Paranaense last weekend so he is suspended for Sunday's game.

However Marquinhos Santos will be able to welcome back William Matheus and Marcos Vinicios after their own suspensions.

Winger Capixaba was taken off injured in the first half last weekend, making him a doubt for this fixture.

Santos are still without injured quartet Sandry, Kevin Malthus, Kaiky and John.

Lucas Braga should come back into the team after being suspended against Ceara last weekend.

Fabio Carille switched to a three-man defensive formation in that match and could keep the same system at Estadio Alfredo Jaconi after keeping a clean sheet.

Juventude possible starting lineup:
Douglas; Macedo, Quintero, Mendes, Matheus; Dawhan, Jadson; Vinicios, Castilho, Boia; Bueno

Santos possible starting lineup:
Paulo; Boza, Velazquez, Leonardo; Para, Camacho, Mota, Jonatan; Marinho, Baptistao, Braga

We say: Juventude 1-1 Santos

This should be a cagey affair, with both teams knowing how crucial a victory would be in their bids to avoid relegation. Fabio Carille has made Santos more defensively solid since arriving at the club, but they are still lacking attacking potency, so we think that the points will be shared.