With a new coach, Santos will open this Saturday, November 4, the thirty-second round of the Brazilian Championship in its 2017 edition. At Vila Belmiro, in Santos, welcomes Atlético-MG, in a game scheduled to start at 17h Brasília).

Santos’s recent performance

After leading a new version of the drama “the return of those who were not,” Levir Culpi, who came to have his resignation announced and then accept to remain in office when the toppers changed positions, finally got a kick in the bottoms to see his team were beaten 2-1 by Sao Paulo in the thirty-first round.
Staying in the 53 points (14 wins, 11 draws and six losses), Fish fell to third, but ended up being benefited by the other results of the round. Corinthians, the leader, were defeated by Ponte (1 to 1) in Campinas, and Palmeiras, second placed, only tied at home with Cruzeiro (2 to 2).
The rivals’ stumbling caused Santos to keep up with real chances of competing in the title. Remaining seven rounds and 21 points in contention, is six points behind Corinthians and one less in comparison to Palmeiras.
To try this final start, the board indicated assistant coach Elano as interim coach until the end of the Brasileirao. This is not the first time that the former Fish player has taken on this mission. He was responsible for running the team in two games between the dismissal of Dorival Junior and the arrival of Levir Culpi at the start of the tournament. He managed to add up the six points.
The turbulence for the change of command was not the only one to shake Santos in that period. Zeca called for the club to be dismissed on the grounds that he had not received the support he should have received when he received heavy charges from the supporters. To break the contract, he claimed he was not getting salaries on schedule just as the club would not be filing money for the FGTS. The litigation follows and the athlete goes training separate from his teammates.
The many criticisms made in the style of Levir Culpi, accused of training little and promote harmless training, Elano responded to the requests of the fans and changed the system of preparation for the games demanding more intensity to the athletes. It has not advanced, however, if it will promote changes in the titular team.
In order to face Galo, Santos has the best performance in his career as a principal of the 2017 Brasileirão. He scored 33 points (ten wins, three draws and two losses) with 19 goals and only eight.

The current form of Atlético-MG

The numbers are not enough to scare Atletico-MG, who is the second most efficient visitor to the Brazilian Championship. With 26 points (seven wins, five draws and three defeats), he is only beaten by Corinthians who have two points and one more match in those circumstances.
His situation in the Brasileirão just is not better due to a very weak performance at home. It is the third worst in this area. On Matchday 31, he missed two more points as he did not leave the goalless draw against Botafogo at Independência in Belo Horizonte.
With 42 points (11 wins, 9 draws and 11 losses) he is tenth in the standings. He still dreams of a place in the Copa Libertadores of 2017. In this fight, his closest target is Flamengo, who has 47 points and closes the classification zone for the tournament in seventh place.
To try to give more offensiveness to the team, coach Oswaldo Oliveira did an experiment during the training of the week. He took Valdivia from the starting team promoting the return of the Ecuadorian Cazares, who happened to share with the Venezuelan Otero the mission of amassing the attackers Robinho and Fred.

History of the bouts between Santos and Atlético-MG
The duel of alvinegros had 63 editions in Brasileirão. There were 21 santistas victories. The most recent of them, by 1 to 0, in the first round of the season 2017. The Rooster accumulates 25 successes. The draws were 17.

Better known for his jokes than for good works, Levir Culpi with his ‘no-no’ style often causes great celebrations when fired. That was the case in Fluminense and Atlético-MG, his last two clubs. This should also have an effect on the players, who will be charged more. Faced with a lackluster Rooster and playing at home, Santos is the best betting option for the duel with a 2.10 bet on Bet365. Draw returns 3.10. Successful miner promotes multiplication by 3.80 of invested capital.