São Paulo vs Botafogo Prediction: All or nothing

São Paulo and Botafogo will meet in a dramatic Copa Libertadores quarter-final. In the first leg in Rio de Janeiro, the two teams drew 0-0, so anything can happen at the Morumbi. São Paulo has lifted the trophy three times, while Botafogo has never won the legendary South American competition.

Luis Zubeldía, the Argentine in charge of São Paulo, decided to field an alternative line-up against Internacional with the clash with Botafogo in mind. São Paulo is in fifth place, far from the title race, so Zubeldía understandably rested several key players. The choice had consequences, and São Paulo lost 3-1 at home. In theory, the result shouldn't affect the players' confidence too much, as the priority is the Copa Libertadores, but it would still be better to face Botafogo after a win. The second leg will probably be similar to the Nilton Santos match, with the Paulistas tactically rigorous, trying to take advantage of any mistakes from Botafogo. The Tricolor Paulista plays at home and has an excellent record in the competition, so it has a good chance of qualifying for the semi-finals, especially if it scores the first goal of the night.

Botafogo fielded its best eleven in the derby against Fluminense, except for Thiago Almada and Alex Telles, and won 1-0 at the Maracanã. The game was tight, but Artur Jorge's men had the best chances to score. When nobody expected it, the goal came in the last seconds of the match through Luiz Henrique. Fluminense's veteran defender, Felipe Melo, had the ball under control in his area and didn't notice the presence of Gregore, who stole the ball from him and provided the assist for Luiz Henrique. It was a hard-fought but crucial win for Botafogo, who remains in first place with a three-point lead over champion Palmeiras. The Lone Star team will now try to qualify for the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores for the third time in its history. If the Cariocas win, they will go through, but a draw could also be enough if they win on penalties.

The game should be balanced and highly tactical, but everything could change if there's an early goal. Both teams will have to fight hard for qualification, that's for sure. Botafogo is a technically superior side, but São Paulo, on the other hand, is a clever and tricky team, which is essential in knockout games. There's only extra time in the Copa Libertadores final, so there's a good chance the tie could end on penalties. I will bet on a draw, but I'll leave you with other less risky suggestions.