With the threat of practically distant relegation, São Paulo hosts Chapecoense on Thursday, November 9, aiming to lift higher flights in the Brazilian Championship season 2017. The match, which is part of the thirty-third round of the Brasileirão, will be held in the Pacaembu, since Morumbi remains rented for the performance of musical shows. The kickoff is scheduled for 20h (Brasília time).

The recent performance of São Paulo

For the first time in the season, Sao Paulo managed to win a series of three successive victories. On Saturday, November 4, he defeated Atlético-GO, in Goiânia, by 1-0. With that, he had 43 points (12 wins, seven draws and 13 losses), climbing to ninth place.
Remaining two points to reach the goal of 45 which is considered the margin of safety necessary to stay in the elite division of national football and with 18 points to play, the tricolor can allow itself to set a more ambitious goal.
It would be the classification for the Copa Libertadores of America. At the moment, the possibility of contention of the continental tournament is reserved for the first seven places. The block is closed by Flamengo, which has four points more in comparison with São Paulo. This is a reversible situation.
However, there is still another scenario even more favorable to the Tricolor. The qualifying group can rise to eight or even nine clubs if Grêmio and Flamengo win the Copa Libertadores and South American titles respectively. In this way, São Paulo would already be in the classification zone.
The field command has been decisive for the improvement of the situation of São Paulo. The club won the last four home games, three of them in Pacaembu and one in Morumbi. As a column one, he had 32 points (nine wins, five draws and two losses). He is the third best entrant of the Brasileirão and the team that suffered the least defeats in his dominions.
Coach Dorival Junior, however, has two right lows for the match. Against Chape, will not have the chance to use midfielder Cueva, who was called by the Peruvian team to play in the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup Russia against New Zealand. Will be out for three rounds. Thomas is the most quoted to stay with the vacancy. Lucas Fernandes, Shaylon, Jonatan Gomez and Maicosuel are other options.
Lateral Eder Militão, with a left thigh injury, is also out of action. Araruna, who replaced him in the duel against the Goians, should remain on the team.

The current form of Chapecoense

The feeling that the worst has already passed is also felt by Chapecoense, who managed to score in the last four games. It was two wins and two draws, although the last match was considered a loss.
On Sunday, November 5, at home, the Santa Catarina team faced Sport with one less athlete (Anselmo was sent off) from the 14th minute of the second half, took advantage on the scoreboard and gave the tie already in the extras.
It was enough to take the green light to 40 points (11 wins, 7 draws and 14 losses). They are five less than the goal of 45 points and five more than the Victory, seventeenth placed and first in the relegation zone at the end of the round of number 32.
To face Sao Paulo, the coach Gilson Kleina has an important embezzlement in the rear. Douglas is suspended due to the accumulation of yellow cards. The coach did not anticipate who will be the substitute.

History of the bouts between São Paulo and Chapecoense
Since 2014 in Serie A of Brasileirão, Chape takes advantage in the duels against São Paulo. They were seven, with three Santa Catarina wins and three equals. The only victory is-Pauline happened in 2015. In the first round of the current season, the alviverde team scored 2 to 0.

The situation has improved, but football is not so bad. This is the great challenge of São Paulo in the final stretch. Of breaking, you still have to fight a negative aspect that affected the team throughout the season: accommodation after achieving good results. This opens the door to higher-risk dueling guesses and makes a draw a good choice. It has a price of 3.75 in Bet365. Victory of the owners of the house pays 1.60 and the visitors yields 5.75 for 1.