Avai vs Flamengo Predictions

Saturday’s Brazilian Serie A action sees Avai doing battle with the table topping Flamengo at the Estádio Nacional de Brasília Mané Garrincha. Flamengo arrive as huge favourites to claim all 3 points and are expected to do so without issue.

After 17 long games, Avai finally claimed their first win of the Serie A season last time out, seeing off fellow strugglers Fluminense 1-0 in the Maracana. The side were pretty fortunate to win and scored with one of their only chances of the game but are happy to be off the mark nonetheless, with the victory giving supporters the slightest of hope that an escape from an immediate return to Serie B is possible.

Nonetheless, with just 10 points to their name and some 8 points adrift from safety, that’s not something that looks at all likely and they remain one of, if not the, weakest outfit in Serie A. Indeed, on paper Avai are simply lacking in quality all over the pitch and don’t really look cut out for playing at this level.

As such, the last thing they need after a morale boosting win is a game against Flamengo. The side are in stunning shape and look by far and away the league’s strongest outfit at the moment, topping the table and coming into this game off the back of some scintillating form.

Jorge Jesus’ men tore apart a strong Palmeiras outfit last weekend, hammering them 3-0 to make it 4 league wins on the bounce. With supreme quality in all areas of the pitch and firepower that is completely unmatched in the league, Flamengo look well on course to go on and win the title and as such, avoiding dropping points in games like Saturday’s is of paramount importance.

All things considered, there only looks like being one winner on Saturday and that’s Flamengo. Beating a poor Fluminense outfit is one thing and Avai will surely be brought back down to earth by Flamengo this weekend, with the gulf between the two on paper huge and likely to be made all the more apparent by the fact that the match has been switched to a neutral venue.

All things considered, backing Flamengo on the -1 handicap looks the best way to play as far as the betting is concerned and is exactly where our money is going. They’re in great attacking shape, with forward Gabigol on fire and given he’s scored a staggering 14 times in 13 Serie A matches, as well 8 times in his last 6 matches, we’re also going to get behind him notching once again in a comfortable 3-0 margin of victory.