Santos vs Vasco da Gama Prediction: Two historic clubs fight to avoid relegation

Only two points separate the two teams, but they are enough to put Vasco da Gama out of the relegation zone, unlike Santos, which finds itself inside the Z4. The Cariocas have taken nine points from their last three games and are finally out of the red zone. In the last round, Santos grabbed a crucial away victory against direct opponent Bahia, which is now also in the relegation zone, curiously swapping with Vasco. The match promises to be dramatic, given the importance of the clash for the two historic clubs. Anything can happen in this duel for survival.

The Fish hadn't won away since Round 6, against Vasco da Gama, precisely the opponent in this round. The victory in Salvador in the debut of interim coach Marcelo Fernandes was surprising. It's a never-ending dance of coaches in the Brasileirão, and this week, Sampaoli at Flamengo and Luxemburgo at Corinthians were also sacked. There is a lot of anticipation for this match among Santos fans because, with a victory against Vasco and a favorable combination of results, the Fish can finally get out of the relegation zone. The atmosphere at the Vila Belmiro promises to be hot.

The Hill's Giant is going through arguably its best period of the season, with just one defeat in the last eight games against champions Palmeiras. Ramón Diaz's work has been remarkable in transforming a team that, at one point, was the weakest in the Brasileirão. In the last round, a beautiful last-minute goal from Jair gave Vasco a precious victory over América. This clash against Santos won't be easy, but confidence is high among the players. The Cruzmaltino will try everything, at least not to lose to a direct opponent. Santos won at the São Januário earlier in the season, and that defeat could hang over the players' heads for better or worse.

It's not easy to predict this match, and placing a simple bet on one team winning seems risky. Santos has a chance to win and get out of the Z4, but it's up against a very motivated opponent. The Santos fans will support their team in this determinant fixture. Vasco is in good form and will fight at least to take a point. I will use a Double Chance in favor of Santos in which both teams score.