Botafogo return to action in the Brasileiro Serie A on July 17, as they welcome relegation-threatened Vitoria to the Estadio Nilton Santos for a midweek clash.

After a managerial shake-up, the hosts appear to have steadied the ship under new head coach Davide Ancelotti, and will look to extend their fine home form against a side in disarray.

Match preview

Botafogo head into this fixture riding high after a 2-0 win over Vasco da Gama last time out, extending their streak in the league to five unbeaten matches.

While they were eliminated in the Club World Cup round of 16 by Palmeiras, the Rio outfit made headlines by beating Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain, handing the French side their first loss in over a month. 

However, that competition was the final act for manager Renato Paiva, who was relieved of his duties following a fallout with club owner John Textor over team selection.

In came Davide, son of legendary manager Carlo Ancelotti, who has stepped into his first senior managerial role with immediate impact. 

His early days have been promising, but the 35-year-old faces a stern challenge in reducing the gap at the top, with Botafogo currently sixth on 21 points, six behind leaders Flamengo after 12 rounds.

The good news for the hosts is that history is firmly on their side, with Botafogo unbeaten in their last eight meetings with Vitoria, winning five of them, and they have been near-impenetrable at home, unbeaten in their last 10 matches at the Nilton Santos, winning nine of those.

For Vitoria, the outlook is far less encouraging, with the Salvador-based side stuck in the bottom four, currently 17th with 11 points, behind Santos only on goal difference. 

They come into this tie winless in seven matches across all competitions, having lost five of those and scored no goals in their last six competitive outings.

Their wretched run saw Thiago Carpini shown the door, with former Corinthians boss Fabio Carille brought in to steady the ship.

However, his first outing was also disappointing, as Vitoria fell 1-0 to Internacional, conceding a stoppage time goal.

Botafogo Brasileiro form:

Botafogo form (all competitions):

Vitoria Brasileiro form:

Vitoria form (all competitions):

Team News

Botafogo will continue to be without Jeffinho, who is sidelined with a meniscus injury that will keep him out for an extended period. 

Defender Bastos remains unavailable due to a knee problem, while Matheus Martins is recovering from a thigh injury.

For Vitoria, midfielder Gabriel Baralhas will miss the game, having been suspended due to yellow card accumulation. 

Defenders Neris and Gabriel are both sidelined with injuries until later this month, while full-back Jamerson is set for a long spell on the sidelines after suffering a broken ankle.

Botafogo possible starting lineup:

John; Telles, Kaio, Barboza, Vitinho; Gregore; Freitas; Montoro, Savarino, Artur; Cabral

Vitoria possible starting lineup:

Arcanjo; M. Jesus, Halter, Marcos, Caceres; Willian, Baralhas, Ronald; Matheuzinho, Kayzer, Braga

We say: Botafogo 2-0 Vitoria

This match heavily favours Botafogo, who are flying high under new management and boast a formidable home record. 

With Vitoria unable to score – let alone win – in recent weeks, the hosts should have too much quality, especially given their strong record in this fixture.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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