CS Alagoano vs Fluminense
Brazil – Serie A
Date: Monday, 25 November 2019
Kick-off at 23:00 UK/ 24:00 CET
Venue: Estádio Rei Pelé (Maceió).
Monday’s Brazilian Serie A action sees CSA doing battle with Fluminense at the Estádio Rei Pelé. Both sides are struggling at the wrong end of the table but it;s the visitors who have the greater chances of surviving and will be desperate for the 3 points.
Following back to back promotions from the depths of Serie C, it was always going to be a big ask for CSA to adapt to life at the top level of the Brazilian game and so it has proved. Over the course of the season, the side have struggled to really compete and with 5 matches left to play, they come into this gameweek 7 points adrift of safety, meaning they are all but relegated into Serie B.
Boss Argel Fucks has probably squeezed about as much life out of an extremely limited squad since coming in and whilst he’s helped the team pick up some positive results, recent performances have ensured an unlikely escape looks well off the cards. Indeed, CSA have now lost 4 straight games and the fact they’ve conceded an average of 2.25 goals a game over said fixtures has to be a big concern coming into this match.
Meanwhile, Fluminense didn’t come into the campaign expecting to struggle anywhere near like CSA but they’ve hardly fared much better over the course of the year. Indeed, with 5 matches left to run, Flu find themselves occupying the last of the relegation spots and desperately need some results to avoid what would be an embarrassing drop into the second tier.
On paper, Tricolor have the ability to get out of the mess they are in but that’s been said throughout the season and they are now rapidly running out of time and games. Having recently won away at 5th place Sao Paulo, the visitors certainly have the credentials to secure victory on the road again on Monday but it really depends on whether they can hold their nerve or not.
Ultimately, this is a match you’d have to fancy the visitors to edge. Morale must be low in the CSA camp and you’d have to question their motivation given recent results leave them all but relegated and the stronger of the two on paper, Fluminense should be able to get the victory they so desperately need.
All things considered, we’re happy to back an away win and feel it provides reasonable value as far as the betting is concerned. As well as having lost their last 4 matches whilst leaking goals, CSA have also taken just 4 points from their last 9 games and that kind of form has only a defeat looking likely for them in this one, with a 1-0 Fluminense win appearing on the cards.