Ponte Preta vs Gremio Predictions & Betting Tips, Match Previews

There are only 2 points separating Ponte Preta and Gremio now and the hosts will move above their more illustrious opponents if they can pull off the win here. With the way that Gremio have been playing lately, they have every chance of doing just that!

So far this season there have been 17 managerial changes in the Brazilian top flight but Gremio have kept faith with young coach Roger Machado, although the pressure is starting to build. His status as a club legend helps him, given he played over 400 times for the club, but results haven’t been good of late. They’ve won just 1 of their last 8 league matches to fall 10 points behind leaders Palmeiras and,realistically now, they’re going to have to battle it out just to grab a place in the Libertadores. They got a solid 0-0 draw at home to Palmeiras at the weekend but were hammered 4-0 last week at Coritiba when they conceded 4 goals in the space of 17 shocking 1st Half minutes.

Ponte Preta will certainly have noted that and have been in good form at home. They are unbeaten in 8 at their own ground and had won 4 in a row without conceding prior to a surprising 1-1 draw against bottom club America on Sunday. The Campinas side are one of the smaller clubs in the division and perhaps enjoy the underdog tag more than the pressure of expectancy which might help to explain their recent setback. They’ve certainly made a habit of toppling the bigger teams at the Estádio Moisés Lucarelli since their promotion to the top flight in 2014 and have beaten the likes of Palmeiras and Corinthians at home already this season.

They won’t fear Gremio at all here, particularly given the visitors have collected just 1 point from their last 5 league away games. Given that backing Ponte Preta Draw No Bet at 8/11 looks a very solid bet.