Fortaleza vs São Paulo Prediction: São Paulo Looks To Break A Four-Year Jinx Against Fortaleza

Fortaleza vs São Paulo: Prediction for the Match on October 03, 2025

The Fortaleza Lions will push their wits against Sao Paulo ahead of the twenty-sixth matchday of the Brasilerio Betano 2025/2026 series. Contrasting performances for the two teams after twenty-five games pit Fortaleza in nineteenth place, while Sao Paulo challenges from the seventh league spot.

Below is a breakdown of the team's statistics, lineup, head-to-head stats, betting trends, and experts' opinions on match variants for this prediction.

🏠 Fortaleza: Form and Statistics

Last Five Matches: LLWLW

W-D-L Form: 5-6-13

Home Form: 5-2-6

Position: 19th

Fortaleza’s recent home 1-0 victory over Sport Recife marked their season’s fifth win, a performance to save their faces after the 4-1 disgrace against Palmeiras. In the contest against Sport Recife, they went into halftime as victors, after which they returned from the second half with a formation shutdown, with the rest of the game ending without any surprises.

The last five league games for the side have produced two wins and three losses. League form over twenty-four recent matches shows five wins, six stalemates, and thirteen losses. At home, they have lost six games in thirteen home matches, with five wins and two stalemates. 

The 2-0 loss to Velez Sarsfield in the Copa Libertadores marked their exit from the tournament, after a prior 0-0 result in the initial leg.

🏁Fortaleza: Lineup

Fortaleza fields a 4-2-3-1 lineup, with Martin Palerm insistent on deploying two defensive midfielders and an attacking three, with the lone man deep in the opponents' box. Currently, the team plays without five regulars due to injury, and Martin Palermo will have to hold out for another ninety minutes of play if he intends to improve the team’s dire state of affairs.

Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1): Ricardo, Barbosa-Avila-Gazal-Britez, Pereira-Sasha, Lopes-Crispim-Pikachu-Deyverson

Head Coach: Martin Palermo

⛔ Out: Injured- Benevento, Tinga, Martinez, Moises, Pacheco

✈️ São Paulo: Form and Statistics

Recent Form: WLWLL

W-D-L Form: 9-8-8

Away Form: 2-5-5

Position: 7th

Consecutive losses in the Betano Series and the CONMEBOL Libertadores have slumped the mighty São Paulo to the seventh league spot. Tactical inferiority against Ecuadorian side LDU Quito saw them lose to a 3-0 aggregate scoreline (1-0, 2-0), ending their ambitions in the famed tournament.

In the domestic league, they have played through the last twenty-five league fixtures to rally nine wins, eight stalemates, and eight losses. On the road, they have been resilient, accruing two wins, five stalemates, and five losses.

The San-Sao derby didn't turn out in their favour, with the opposition capitalising on home advantage to secure a slim lead fifteen minutes after the second half. The subsequent game against Ceara followed a similar pattern, with the two sides leveled at halftime, only for Ceara to seize the decider eleven minutes after the second half.

🏁 Sao Paulo: Lineup

In the last two weeks, Hernan Crespo has seen his team slump in identical defeats against Ceara and Santos FC, with his little tweak from the 3-4-1-2 to the 3-1-4-2 failing to correct the error. He redeployes the 3-1-4-2 tactical layout against Fortaleza, whom they have not beaten since 2021.

Ahead of this fixture, Crespo’s woes are lined up before him. Arboleda serves his suspension from the sidelines after picking up a yellow card against Sao Paulo. The medical staff has expressed Tolio’s doubt about playing in the game, and Rafael. Bobadilla and a host of others all received knocks in recent games.

🔖 Predicted Lineup (3-1-4-2): Rafael, Wendell-Sabino-Franco, Bobadilla, Diaz-Rodriguinho-Alisson-Soares, Ferreira-Luciano

👤 Head Coach: Hernan Crespo

⛔ Out: Injured- Andre Silva, Calleri, Francisco, Oscar, Luan Santos, Ferraresi. Suspended - Arboleda. Doubtful - Tolio

🤝Fortaleza vs Sao Paulo Head-to-Head Statistics

Ten recent meetings for the sides have seen the Fortaleza hold five wins and five stalemates against Sao Paulo, who have not won one game since 2021.

📈 Fortaleza vs Sao Paulo Betting Trends

Fortaleza’s home domination: At Fortaleza’s home, the scoreline over the last four meetings has been strictly less than three goals. Pick the Home/Draw bet option at 1.40 odds from Bet365.

São Paulo’s Inferiority against Fortaleza: São Paulo has not won any of the last ten games against Fortaleza. Consider the Fortaleza win bet tip at 2.77 odds from 1xbet.

First Half Stalemate Likelihood: The last two league matches for São Paulo ended with a stalemate in the first half. Consider this at 1.96 odds from Betway.

São Paulo Strives To Score: São Paulo has not scored a goal in four straight matches. Consider the Away Under 1.5 goals betting tip at 1.42 odds from 1xbet.

🎯 Fortaleza vs Sao Paulo Match Prediction 03 October 2025

São Paulo’s recent performance in their last four matches across the board has seen the side slump in form, with the team struggling to score in these pairings. A lnumber of regular faces on the Fortaleza team who were previously sidelined due to injury spells or disciplinary issues have returned to the lineup, so an improvement is expected in the style of play and tactical execution.

Fortaleza plays fiercely at home, and the return of their main players will only stack the odds against Sao Paulo, who have real troubles within their ranks.

Below are our best predictions:

🔥 Our main prediction is the Over Nine Corners at 1.80 odds from Bet365

🔥 Our betting tip here is Halftime Draw at 1.96 odds from Betway

🔥 Our final betting tip will be Under 2.5 goals at 1.61 odds from 1xbet