After beating Goiás 2-0 in the first leg of the last 16 of the Copa do Brasil, Grêmio had the luxury of putting a reserve team on the field to face the Goians in the return match, which was played on the night of Wednesday, May 9. Even so, he did not find it difficult to overcome the alvverde. It marked 3 to 1 confirming its passage to the quarterfinals.
In this way, coach Renato Gaúcho assured that he will have the best team available to the classic gaucho, who can even make the tricolor sleep at the top of the Brasileirão. With seven points (two wins, one draw and one defeat), Grêmio, who climbed seven positions the previous day, ranks fifth. The leader is Flamengo, who has already reached ten points.
In case of victory, the gremistas would equal in the score, but still have to overcome the difference in the balance of goals (which at the moment is seven against four) to at least sleep at the tip of the Brasileirão.
The only doubt that the coach had for the match was dispelled by the judgment of the STJD (Superior Court of Sport Justice). Defender Kannemann, who was sent off in a 1-0 win over Cruzeiro in Mineirão in the opening round of the 2018 edition of the Brazilian Championship, was sentenced to a suspension game. As he has already fulfilled the punishment he is free to act in Gre-Nal.
In this way, the Grêmio will only have a low for the classic. Ramiro, due to the accumulation of yellow cards, will have to stay out of the match.
The International had no commitments during the week. But he had no peace of mind in the preparation. Colorado fans made a demonstration at the Beira-Rio gate. About 50 people fired shouts and threats at players who participated in closed training.
To avoid new contacts between fans and athletes, the board decided to anticipate the concentration and took the athletes to the resort, in the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre. The training will be done on the spot and fans will not be allowed access.
Coach Odair Hellman has won the support of the top men, but few believe he will be retained in the position if he loses again to Grêmio. In the Campeonato Gaúcho, the Internacional was eliminated by the tricolor, which caused a climate of instability in the club that makes its season of return to Series A after a brief passage by the Second Division.
For the classic, two embezzlements are right. Striker William Pottker, who was sent off in a 2-0 defeat to Flamengo in the fourth round of the Brasileirão, will have to complete automatic suspension. Also out of action, but by injury, the midfielder Edenílson.
In the attack, Lucca was chosen as a substitute. In the middle, Hellman studies to do an improvisation putting the newly contracted right-hander Zeca in the wave of Edenílson.
With four points (one victory, one draw and two defeats), the Internacional occupies a modest thirteenth place in the Brasileirão.
Although in the classics the technical difference between the teams ends up losing importance due to the rivalry that ends up making the competition more tense and decided more in the claw than by technical criteria, the Grêmio is shown much more solid and, therefore, should be pointed out as favorite for the match.
Prediction Today: Grêmio
Odds: 1.72
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