Flamengo – Ceará: will Flamengo clinch the title early?
In this Round 37 fixture of Brazil’s Série A, scheduled for the night of 4 December, Flamengo host Ceará. Kick-off is at 1:30 CET, and I’ve prepared a betting outlook for this match.
Flamengo – Ceará: match facts and head-to-head
- Flamengo can secure the championship early with a win in this game.
- Flamengo are unbeaten in three straight matches: two victories and a draw.
- Ceará are winless in their last three: two defeats and a draw.
- Flamengo have scored at least once in eight consecutive matches.
- Flamengo are unbeaten in their last 12 home games.
- Ceará have won just one of their last six away fixtures.
- Flamengo boast the best attack in Série A with 74 goals.
- They also have the league’s best defensive record with only 24 goals conceded.
- In 33% of their matches this season, Flamengo have scored in both halves.
- Flamengo have kept a clean sheet in 40% of their matches this season, Ceará in 25%.
- Only 10% of Flamengo’s defeats this season were without scoring, compared to 33% for Ceará.
- The last two meetings between Flamengo and Ceará ended in 1–1 draws.
Flamengo – Ceará: match preview
Flamengo sit top of the table and are just one step away from sealing the league title. They’ve collected 75 points after 36 rounds, and with only two matches remaining, one victory is all they need to be crowned Série A champions. The team are in excellent form and have every chance of finishing the season in style. Just a few days ago, they lifted the Copa Libertadores with a 1–0 win, adding another trophy to their cabinet. Now they have the chance to secure yet another title.
Ceará are also in the thick of the fight for crucial positions. They trail 13th place — the last spot that grants entry to the Copa Sudamericana — by just two points. But the relegation zone is no further away: they sit only two points above 17th place. In other words, a two-point swing could lead them either to international competition or straight into relegation trouble. With only two rounds left, any dropped points could prove fatal. There is no margin for error.
Probable lineups
- Flamengo: Rossi, Alex Sandro, Danilo, Varela, Léo Pereira, Carrascal, De Arrascaeta, Pulgar, Jorginho, Bruno Henrique, Samuel Lino
- Ceará: Bruno, Marcos Victor, Willian Machado, Fabiano, Matheus Bahia, Vinícius Zanocelo, Diego, Mugni, Fernandinho, Galeano, Pedro Raul
Prediction
Ceará have enormous motivation to pick up points, but Flamengo are equally driven — the championship is within reach. Playing at home, I believe they’ll get the job done. My suggestion is Flamengo’s individual total over 2.
