Preview: Bahia vs. Palmeiras - prediction, team news, lineups

Palmeiras will be looking to end a four-game winless run in the Brasileiro when they continue their campaign against Bahia at Arena Fonte Nova.

The visitors are currently third in the division, 14 points behind leaders Atletico Mineiro, while Bahia occupy 16th spot, having collected 26 points from their 24 league games this term.

Match preview

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Bahia, who finished 14th in Serie A last term, will enter this contest off the back of a 2-0 victory over Athletico Paranaense, with Rai Nascimento and Gilberto on the scoresheet at Venue Arena da Baixada.

Guto Ferreira's side have won seven, drawn five and lost 12 of their 24 league games this term to collect 26 points, which has left them in 16th spot in the table, only just above the relegation zone.

Bahia had been on a four-game winless run in the league before their clash with Athletico, but they will now be back on home soil for the first time since drawing 1-1 with Bragantino on September 19.

Tricolor have faced Palmeiras on 15 previous occasions and have only recorded one victory, suffering seven defeats in the process, while there have also been seven draws.

Earlier this season, Palmeiras ran out 3-2 winners, with Raphael Veiga and Breno Lopes netting in the final 12 minutes to secure all three points for the home side.

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The visitors will enter this match off the back of a 4-2 home defeat to Bragantino, and a poor run of form has seen Abel Ferreira's team pick up just one point from their last four encounters.

Palmeiras are still third in the table, only two points behind Flamengo, but the second-placed side in the division have two games in hand on the team directly below them.

Ferreira's side are 14 points behind leaders Atletico Mineiro, meanwhile, with a record of 12 wins, three draws and nine defeats from 24 matches seeing them collect 39 points.

The White and Greens finished seventh in Brazil's top flight last term, but they are the most successful team in the history of the Brasileiro, lifting the trophy on 10 occasions, the last of which was in 2018.

Team News

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Bahia will again be without the services of Hugo Rodallega, German Conti and Rossi through injury, but Lucas Araujo is available following a one-game suspension.

Araujo is in contention to return to the starting XI, but head coach Ferreira could ultimately decide to stick with the same team that took to the field for the first whistle against Athletico Paranaense.

A 4-2-3-1 formation should see Gilberto continue at the tip of the attack, with Nascimento operating off the right for the home side.

As for Palmeiras, Danilo, Ze Rafael, Mayke and Marcos Rocha are all injured, while Gustavo Gomez, Joaquin Piquerez and Weverton are away on international duty.

The visitors will be able to recall both Felipe Melo and Gabriel Menino, though, as the pair served one-game suspensions in the defeat to Bragantino last time out.

Melo and Menino are expected to come back into the side, while Luiz Adriano could also earn a spot in a wide area, with Dudu and Rony featuring as the front two.

Bahia possible starting lineup:
Fernandes; Nino, Henrique, Otavio, Bahia; De Lucca, Mugni; Rai, Daniel, Juninho; Gilberto

Palmeiras possible starting lineup:
Jailson; Kuscevic, Luan, Renan; Menino, De Paula, Melo, Barbosa, Adriano; Dudu, Rony

We say: Bahia 1-2 Palmeiras

Palmeiras are due to a victory, and we are expecting the long-awaited win to come in this match. Bahia were impressive last time out, but they have struggled against Palmeiras in the past, and we are backing the visitors to shade a close contest here.