Atletico-MG – Ceara Prediction & Picks (14.06.2018)

Atlético Mineiro and Ceará meet at Estádio Raimundo Sampaio, in a match for the 12 th round of Serie A. There is no record of direct confrontations between these two teams in the last 3 years. The last match was played on 02-10-2011 and ended with the score: Atlético Mineiro (1-1) Ceará. In this game the home factor may be decisive, since the Ceará presents considerable differences in their results at home and as a visitor.

Atlético Mineiro:

After 6 wins, 2 draws and 3 losses, the home team is currently in the 2 nd position, with 20 points won. In their last match, they won at home against Fluminense by (5-2), after in the previous match they won (1-3) out in a match against América Mineiro. This is a team that usually maintains its competitive levels in home and away matches, since in the last 30 matches they register 7 wins, 4 draws and 4 losses in away matches; against 9 wins, 3 draws and 3 losses at their stadium. In the last 6 home league matches Atlético Mineiro has a record of 4 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss, so they have won 13 points out of 18 possible. The team has conceded goals in 8 of the last 10 matches, so it has not presented great defensive solidity, but their offense has scored consistently, as they have scored goals in 9 of the last 10 matches for this competition. In 11 games played in this competition, it got the comeback in 2 of the 6 matches in which it suffered the first goal.

Atlético Mineiro is one of the most traditional clubs in Brazilian football, since throughout its history it conquered the Serie A of the Brazilian championship once, in the distant year of 1971. In the mining championship of this year, the team finished for losing in the final against the biggest rival, Cruzeiro. In the Serie A of the 2018 Brazilian championship, the team is now focused on keeping close to the top-ranked Flamengo, currently six points behind the Rio de Janeiro team. In the last five games that Atlético Mineiro played in their stadium, in at least three the team scored goals and in the last two they scored more than 3.5 goals. We believe that in this match the boss will be maintained, with Atlético Mineiro scoring goals, but also ending up suffering them, since he showed in the last matches a fragile defense.

Ceará:

After 5 draws and 6 losses, the away team is currently in the 20 th position of the league, with 5 points won. In the last match, they have tied at home with Palmeiras by (2-2), after in the previous match they have tied tied in an away match against Botafogo, by (0-0). This is a team that, oddly enough, was better outside than at home, as in the last 30 matches they register 6 wins, 6 draws and 3 losses in away matches; against 5 wins, 6 draws and 4 losses at their stadium. For the championship, Ceará won 2 points out of 15 possible points, after 2 draws and 3 losses in the last 5 matches as a visitor.

For this competition, he did not win any of the last 11 games. Defensive consistency has not been their best feature, as they have conceded goals in 8 of the last 10 matches for this competition. In their away matches there is a tendency for few goals, since 45 of the last 70 matches have ended with Under 2,5 goals. This is a team that has presented difficulties in opening the scoring and who only managed to score the first goal once in the last 11 games for Serie A. In 11 games in this competition, never got the comeback in the 8 games in which he suffered the first goal.

Ceará is a club that was never a Brazilian Serie A or B Series champion. The club was Céarense champion seven times, the last time in the current season of 2018. Ceará finished third in the Brazilian championship. Serie B, in 2017, thus gaining access to the elite of Brazilian football. In the Brazilian championship of the Serie A of 2018, the team is having great difficulties and occupies the last position of the table. On the last day, surprised everyone by scoring two goals to Palmeiras, so, we believe that against Atlético Mineiro the team has conditions to at least score a goal.