Brazil Serie A :Gremio- Atletico Paranaense
 

Hosts have won all three home starts under Big Phil Scolari and the road win at Flamengo over the weekend took them onto the fringes of the Copa Libertadores places and now they have some real momentum having won 4 from 5 (only defeat in that sequence was narrowly, away to leaders Cruzeiro) and with three of their next four at home starting tonight, they will certainly have their eye on second spot.
 

We discussed them ahead of that trip to Cruz ......

Gremio won their first match under new coach Phil Scolari (goodness, that guy is never out of work very long !) at the weekend and his involvement will increase interest in this game and hopefully encourage Cruz to turn it on. The visitors have a home match with Corinthians up next and again, I would argue that for them, that game, in front of their own supporters is more important and certainly the easier of the two fixtures. The visitors left four regulars at home, including Barcos and Rodriguinho who have scored seven of just 13 Gremio goals this season and Big Phil also said that two players coming back from lengthy injuries will get game time from the bench tonight and it looks like the weekend game is , indeed , being given clear priority. Cruz could win this comfortably on a going day reagrdless of that, but it is a nice extra bonus.

 

I have to say that Gremio were very unlucky to lose that game and had enough chances to have won, left winger Dudu was causing all sorts of problems and looks to have thrived under Scolari, having lost confidence under the former coach. The win at Flamengo was even more noteworthy as they were without top scorer Hernan Barcos, defender Matias Rodriguez and midfielder Ramiro ( no wins in the eight matches, five defeats, he had missed previously over the last two seasons), both are set to return this evening which will not only freshen up, but upgrade options.
 

Atletico have lost their way since we spoke highly of their adventurous play on the road earlier in the season, scouting reports are in, opponents know what to expect and they are now being caught out on the break and have conceded nine in their last four road starts, this is a very young squad, I think the youngest in Serie A, with an average age of sub 22 ( leaders Cruzeiro have the oldest average at circa 27) and once youngsters lose confidence, it is very hard to get back. The visitors have not won here in more than a decade, are 0-3-7 on their last ten visits, conceding an average of 2.4 goals, three or more in 4 of their last five. Actually, home and away they have only won once in 11 h2h meetings, which was the reverse fixture this season, but the two are now heading in different directions and I fully expect Gremio to avenge that this evening. Team news doesn't look too good for them, they are without strikers Cleo and Coutinho who have ten (40%) of Atletico's goals between them and also missing Drausio, Sueliton and Leo Pereira from their defensive line,  right back Sueliton is their most experienced defender and Cleo their senior striker in a squad woefully short of experience.

 

 

Atletico:  1) Bady; 2) Bruno Mendes; 3) Carlos Alberto; 4) Cleberson; 5) Deivid; 6) Dellatorre; 7) Hernani; 8) João Paulo; 9) Marcelo; 10) Marcos Guilherme; 11) Mário Sérgio; 12) Natanael; 13) Nathan; 14) Paulinho Dias; 15) Ricardo Silva; 16) Santos; 17) Sidcley; 18) Thiago Mosquito; 19) Weverton; 20) Willian Rocha.