Flamengo vs Parana Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

Sunday’s Brazilian Serie A action sees league leaders Flamengo doing battle with newly-promoted Parana. It’s fair to say there only looks like being one result.

Our previews featuring Flamengo could essentially be recycled for every game at the moment. For as long as they keep winning, praise can only be heaped on boss Maurício Barbieri, who has only lost 1 of his 16 games in charge and has the side looking like a well oiled machine, which it certainly wasn’t prior to his arrival.

A dominant 2-0 victory over rivals Fluminense was Megao’s latest impressive showing and made it four wins in a row, leaving the hosts 5 points clear at the Serie A summit. Flamengo’s midweek win remarkably featured their 12th clean sheet in 14 matches and with defensive performances so impressive and the attack fully firing, Flamengo look simply unplayable at the moment.

That’s got to be a huge worry for Parana, who are merely looking to stay in the division following promotion from Serie B. After 8 matches Tricolor da Vila had just 3 points and looked like lacking the quality required to compete in Serie A but recent outings have certainly buoyed Rogério Micale’s troops.

Indeed, Parana have now recorded back to back victories over Fluminense and Bahia respectively and whilst they still remain in the drop-zone, said results have really boosted confidence in travelling ranks. Nonetheless, having lost 3 of their 4 away games so far in the league, that confidence could well evaporate ahead of a return to road action, particularly given it’s up against such strong opponents.

Realistically, whilst the visitors deserve credit for turning their form around, they’ve done so against a Bahia side that really struggles on the road, as well as against a tired Fluminense team who Flamengo have also just comfortably beaten.

Facing off with Flamengo represents an entirely different kettle of fish for Parana and  yet to prove themselves as competitive away from home, it’s very difficult to envisage the visitors taking anything from this clash.

Taking into account Flamengo’s excellent defence and the overall disparity in quality between the two, backing Flamengo to win to nil looks the best way to play. The early pace-setters should have more than enough about them to win the match, with a 2-0 margin of victory on the cards.

Flamengo possible starting XI: Alves; Rodinei, Rhodolfo, Duarte, Rene; Cuellar, Moreno, Diego, Everton, Vinicius Jnr; Dourado.

Parana possible starting XI: Rodrigues; Junior, Rayan, Jesiel, Igor; Lucas; Gonzalez; Henrique, Eduardo; Santos, Silvinho.