Cruzeiro will be looking to extend their impressive run of form in the Brasileiro Serie A when they travel to Estadio Manoel Barradas to face Vitoria on Thursday night. 

These two sides have made contrasting starts to the 2025 season, with the hosts currently in 16th place in the league standings, while he visitors are second after 11 games. 

Match preview

After a stuttering start to the season, losing two and drawing one of their first five games of the campaign, Cruzeiro are now in full flight, and a victory here will see them take the lead in the league standings this week, owing to Flamengo’s fixture against Sport being postponed. 

Raposa kept the gap to the Rubro-Negro at one point last week by securing an impressive 2-1 victory over Palmeiras at home, with Kaio Jorge netting a quickfire brace inside the first four minutes of the match. 

The 23-year-old centre-forward has been in scintillating form this year, now on eight goals and two assists in 10 league games, which is the second-best goal tally in the division to date behind Giorgian de Arrascaeta (9). 

That result also took the new boss Leonardo Jardim’s side’s record over the last six matchdays to five wins and one draw, with their 16-point tally in that period being the most in the top flight. 

While the visitors' away record this term has been a mixed bag (W2 D1 L2), they did maintain clean sheets in their last two outings and took four points off this opponent from their meetings last season. 

Meanwhile, Vitoria ended last season just five points behind Raposa in 11th place, but this term, they are already 10 points behind them, having only managed two wins from their first 11 league games (W2 D4 L5). 

With just two points separating 16th through 19th in the league standings, and Fortaleza set to face Santos later in the day, a defeat for Leao da Barra this week will see them slip into the relegation zone regardless of the outcome at Arena Castelao. 

Thiago Carpini’s side is undergoing a major restructuring this season, with several players being released in recent weeks, including Bruno Xavier, whose contract with the club was terminated last Friday.

After playing to a goalless draw away to Corinthians last week, the Red and Blacks have now failed to score in three consecutive league matches, though only one of those games was at home, where they have earned seven of their 10 points this season (W2 D1 L2). 

Vitoria Brasileiro form:

Vitoria form (all competitions):

Cruzeiro Brasileiro form:

Cruzeiro form (all competitions):

Team News

Vitoria will be able to welcome Matheuzinho back to the squad this week after the 30-year-old midfielder was forced to sit out the match against Corinthians due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

However, skipper Lucas Halter crossed the yellow card threshold in the last match, which forces him into a watching brief this week alongside injury absentees Willian Oliveira, Raul Caceres and Neris. 

Similarly, for Cruzeiro, defender Lucas Villalba has completed his suspension and will return this week, but Christian picked up his third caution of the campaign last time out and will play no part in this match. 

The visitors also have three players unavailable due to injury, including long-term absentee Joao Marcelo (knee), as well as the midfield duo of Matheus Henrique (knee) and Japa (thigh). 

Vitoria possible starting lineup:

Arcanjo; Claudinho, Edu, Marcos, Jamerson; Ryller, Baralhas, Ronald, Matheuzinho; Kayzer, Braga

Cruzeiro possible starting lineup:

Cassio; William, Bruno, Villalba, Kaiki; Romero, Silva, Pereira, Wanderson; Jorge, Eduardo

We say: Vitoria 1-2 Cruzeiro

Cruzeiro will be brimming with confidence coming into this match, currently riding a six-match unbeaten streak and in with a chance of taking the lead in the league standings with a victory. 

Vitoria, on the other hand, have made a very poor start to the season, and while they managed to hold Raposa to a 2-2 draw here last term, we feel they will leave this one empty-handed. 

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

Written by
Devesh Jaganath

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