Many will look at the league table and wonder why Cruzeiro are considerable outsiders, but with their Copa Sudamericana final at the weekend, Fernando Diniz will line up a reserve side for this fixture.

Corinthians, on the other hand, are one of the best-performing teams at home in recent months. In fact, they have only lost one match in front of their supporters in 2024, and that came against league leaders Botafogo.

The addition of Memphis Depay has sharpened their attack, and alongside Yuri Alberto, who has 10 Serie A goals to his name, as well as four assists, have revolutionised their forward play.

Having beaten arch-rivals Palmeiras, Fortaleza and Athletico PR comfortably at home in recent weeks, Corinthians can continue their great escape and sail to another routine victory at Neo Quimica Arena.

The two newly-promoted teams are both outside the relegation zone with just five games to play, but only just, and this is a crucial fixture with two spots in the final four still up for grabs.

Cricuma head into this winless in their last four matches, which has seen them slide into 16th place, but their saving grace has been their home form. Having lost just one of their last ten in front of their fans, Criciuma have enjoyed positive results against Botafogo, Fortaleza and Atletico Mineiro, to name a few.

Yet despite their success on home soil, Vitoria have impressed on their travels since September. Away wins against Atletico GO and Athletico PR have kept their heads above water, and having scored in all five of their last away matches, Vitoria are not going down without a fight.

They managed to beat Criciuma 2-1 in the reverse fixture, but with so much on the line for both sides, two of the weakest defences in the league may just be punished once more.

It’s now or never for the reigning champions who have found themselves four points behind Botafogo with five games left to play. They still have to play Artur Jorge’s side at home, and so the fight isn’t over just yet.

Another tricky-looking away tie is on the horizon against Bahia, but the City Group-owned club head into this fixture completely out of sorts. Having lost four of their last five, and winless within those games, they are struggling to qualify for the Copa Libertadores after a strong start to the season.

Palmeiras have the second-best away form in the league, collecting 26 points from 16 matches, and have won three of their last five on the road. A 2-0 loss last time out against Corinthians can be taken with a pinch of salt. Not only due to Corinthians’ incredible home form, but the weather was awful and didn’t play to Palmeiras’ strengths.

On Bahia’s big pitch, the champions can stretch them with Estevao and Dudu on either flank, who can return to winning ways and keep their title chase well and truly on.

Cuiaba aren’t relegated just yet, but having won just once in their last ten, and having scored twice in those matches, they find themselves eight points adrift from safety.

To make matters worse, their top goalscorer Isidro Pitta (seven) is on international duty with Paraguay and he won’t be available for this particular match. Where the goals are going to come from is a mystery.

Flamengo, on the other hand, are flying under their interim head coach and former player Filipe Luis. Having just won the Copa do Brasil title, Flamengo have lost just one of their last ten games as they look to climb into the top three and finish the season strongly.

Luis is keen for the job on a full-time basis, and the players love him, and having won three of their last five away games, (drawing the other two), Flamengo’s board might have a difficult job saying no to their former left-back. One goal might be enough for the visitors, and that can’t be ignored at their current price.

Gremio’s form has been up and down all season but there’s one element which has remained constant across their home matches: goals. All five of their last five games at home have produced at least three goals, with two producing four and two producing five.

The hosts managed to beat Flamengo, Fortaleza and Atletico GO in recent weeks, as well as scoring three past all of them, as their attack continues to look sharp – even with Gustavo Nunes completing his transfer to Brentford in the summer transfer window.

Their visitors are fighting for their lives, who have failed to win on the road since August. Keeping clean sheets appears to be a real issue, failing to keep one in their last five matches. Heavy defeats against Fortaleza (3-0), Flamengo (4-2) and Palmeiras (5-3) are worrying signs for Juventude, and a trip to Gremio is far from easy.