São Paulo vs Cruzeiro Prediction: Cruzeiro will try to close the door to its own goal

In the final match of Round 31, two teams with modest records meet. São Paulo won the Copa do Brasil, but in the league, the side is in 11th place. Cruzeiro, after a good first half of the league, is now fighting to avoid relegation to the Série B, where it played last season. The Mineiros have won their previous two matches and will go to São Paulo to at least bring home a point. To do so, the strategy will be the same as the one that has given the team so many away points: close the door to the goal.

São Paulo

The Tricolor Paulista got a positive result in Curitiba. A draw away to Athletico Paranaense can never be a bad result for any team, and considering that São Paulo has yet to win away in the Brasileirão, the 1-1 draw was surprising. At home, it's a very different story, as the Paulistas are much stronger at the Morumbi, so this game with Cruzeiro is a must-win. Otherwise, the team could drop even further down the table.

Cruzeiro

Finally, in the last round, Cruzeiro managed to win at the Mineirão in the Série A, something it hasn't done so far this season. After beating rival Atlético in the first Clássico Mineiro at the Arena MRV in Round 29, the confident Fox beat Bahia 3-0 in Belo Horizonte's historic stadium. The team is currently five points clear of Goiás, who tops the relegation zone, so a draw at the Morumbi would be welcome. Away from home, Cruzeiro is a competent team, with the seventh-best record of all visitors, with 20 points.

Expert Betting Tips

São Paulo is the favorite, but Cruzeiro is feeling more confident after two wins in a row. Considering that the Mineiros concede few away goals, I'm going to choose a type of bet related to the number of goals scored. A maximum of two goals scored in the match can be suitable for some scenarios and might work if Cruzeiro defends as usual.