Fortaleza have kept a clean sheet in 5 of their last 6 matches (Brasileirão). Ceara have seen under 2.5 goals in their last 4 matches against Fortaleza in all competitions.
Richard Coelho missed the game in midweek after the shock death of his younger brother Ryan Coelho. Ryan was a promising futsal player, who sadly passed away after falling ill during a match on Tuesday evening. We send our best wishes to Richard and his family. Richardson returns from a ban here. Ze Roberto, Luiz Otavio and Messias are suspended. Pedro Rocha has joined from Spartak Moscow. Romarinho is suspended.
The two current best teams in the Northeast go head-to-head in an important match for both sides. Just four points separate the pair, with Ceara four points clear of Fortaleza. Ceara's dream of continental glory came to an end on Wednesday evening as they suffered a loss during penalties. On the night, Ceara won 2-1 to take the game to dreaded spot kicks. Their last league outing was a 1-1 draw with Botafogo away from home, which means they are now without a win in their last five matches in all competitions. The mood in camp is likely to be low following the cup exit, but the perfect way to bounce back would be with a victory over their great rivals. Fortaleza have had a much-needed resurgence in recent weeks, winning their last two matches. On Sunday, despite doing down to 10 men early on, Fortaleza enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 battering of Internacional. The win sees them move within a point of safety and a win over their rivals here could see them move out of the relegation zone. With Ceara playing in midweek, Leao should be looking to take advantage of any tired legs their opponents may be feeling. 0:2