Santos hope rivals slip up, aim to widen gap to Z4 against Mirassol | OneFootball

The Santos faces a very tough challenge after the last FIFA date of the year. The Alvinegro Praiano takes on Mirassol this Wednesday night, starting at 9:30 PM (Brasília time), at Vila Belmiro, for the 34th round of the Brazilian Championship.

The Peixe defeated rival Palmeiras last Saturday and left the relegation zone of the Brasileirão. The Santos team reached 36 points and jumped to the 16th position, pushing Vitória into the Z4. The team now seeks to increase the distance from the relegation zone and can hope for a rival to help with that.

Santos is only one point ahead of Vitória, the first team in the relegation zone, and has gained a new chance to increase the advantage over the opponents in the Z4. On the last two occasions, against Vitória and Fortaleza, the Peixe let the opportunities slip away.

To widen the gap from the Z4, however, it's not enough to just beat Mirassol. Juan Pablo Vojvoda's men will also need to hope for setbacks from rivals who are also fighting against relegation. At the moment, Vitória and Internacional are the two main competitors of the Santos team.

Vitória faces a tough challenge. Even before Santos takes the field, the Leão visits Palmeiras at 7:30 PM, at Allianz Parque, in an advanced game of the 37th round. Alviverde needs the win more than ever, as they saw Flamengo take the lead in the last round.

Thus, Santos hopes for a Palmeiras victory – or at least a draw – before facing Mirassol. A defeat for Vitória, for example, could reduce the pressure on players and the coaching staff.

Even if they win against Mirassol, Santos will then hope for a setback from Internacional to climb a position in the table. The Colorado, visiting Ceará in the 34th round, has 37 points. The Peixe, if they beat the Paulista rival, would reach 39 points and jump to the 15th position. In the next round, Santos and Inter have a direct confrontation.

The Alvinegro Praiano, however, knows it won't have an easy time against Mirassol. The team from the interior of São Paulo is also fighting for its own goals and can secure a spot in the much-desired Copa Libertadores if they beat the home team this Wednesday.

Santos' Performance Against the G4

Santos has a balanced record against G4 opponents this season. In total, the Peixe faced the top four teams six times so far: Flamengo (twice), Palmeiras (twice), Cruzeiro (once), and Mirassol (once).

In the Brazilian Championship, Santos has three victories and suffered three defeats against G4 opponents, totaling a 50% success rate. They scored six goals and conceded nine.

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.