Fluminense vs Coritiba Prediction: It will be a surprise if Fluminense fails to win

The Copa Libertadores winner hosts a desperate Coritiba side in what is theoretically an uneven encounter. The Paranaenses are automatically relegated to the Série B if they don't win. In other words, Coritiba must win all four of its remaining matches and hope that Vasco or Cruzeiro lose all of their games. That seems impossible. Regardless, Fluminense will go into the match looking to get the three points and improve its eighth place in the table.

After four games without a win in the Série A, the Tricolor Carioca beat the Tricolor Paulista by 1-0. Even with the sending off of São Paulo's Gabriel Neves in the 29th minute, things didn't become simple for Fluminense, which only managed to score through Germán Cano in the 54th minute. The Cariocas have already qualified for the next edition of the Copa Libertadores, as they have lifted the trophy, so there is no declared objective other than to climb a little up the table.

The Coxa beat Cruzeiro 1-0 in the last round, but as its opponent took four points from its two games in hand last week, the gap between both clubs has widened to 12 points. With just four matches remaining and twelve points still to play for, there's no alternative for Coritiba than to win every game. The Paranaenses have won their last two fixtures but will go into the Maracanã knowing that if they don't win again, the Série B awaits.

Fluminense is the favorite despite Coritiba's urgent need for points. Only a miracle can save the Coxa, and it would take enormous willpower and a lot of luck for the team to escape relegation. The Paranaenses will go to the Maracanã looking to win, but it's unlikely that they'll have the strength to react in the event of adversity, so I'm betting on Fluminense to win, with a maximum of four goals scored in the game. The odds for a home win are low, so I've added the total number of goals scored to raise them.