Palmeiras and Botafogo Renew Brazilian Rivalry in the 2025 Club World Cup

Palmeiras vs Botafogo

Palmeiras and Botafogo will renew their Brazilian Serie A rivalry in the 2025 Club World Cup after qualifying for the knockout stage. Palmeiras finished at the top of Group A with five points and have a superior goal difference over second-seeded Inter Miami. On the other hand, Botafogo took second place in Group B after edging Atletico Madrid by a whisker despite having the same number of points (6).

The Alviverde are fresh from a 2-2 draw against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami last Tuesday, as they came back from down two goals to salvage a point. Meanwhile, O Glorioso lost 1-0 against Atletico Madrid, but their previous victories over the Seattle Sounders (2-1) and PSG (1-0) were enough for them to get by.

The pregame SBOTOP betting odds suggest that football fans at Lincoln Financial Field are in for a barn burner this Saturday evening, making this a compelling Round of 16 tie.

 

Talking Points

Veiga and Estevao are the engines for Palmeiras

After a goalless draw against Porto to open their Club World Cup campaign, Palmeiras picked up the scoring in their next two group stage matches against Al-Ahly (2-0) and Inter Miami (2-2) to give them the edge in Group A. They benefited from an own goal by Wessam Abou Ali, and Jose Manuel Lopez, Paulinho, and Mauricio found the back of the net for Abel Ferreira’s side.

However, this wouldn’t be possible without the efforts of Raphael Veiga and Estevao. They have formed a solid partnership with Jose Manuel Lopez and Facundo Torres in the final third. Veiga has created the most chances of any player in Group A (8) despite not playing more than 45 minutes in any of his three matches (115 minutes in total). Estevao led all Palmeiras players for take-ons attempted (12) and successful take-ons (6) in the group stage, with 11 of them coming in the opposition half. The Chelsea-bound winger also had the most touches inside the opponent’s box (18).

 

Botafogo trio is auditioning for a Premier League move

Igor Jesus, Jair Cunha, and Cuiabano are linked with a move to Nottingham Forest this summer, and head coach Nuno Espirito Santo must like what he has seen from them in the Club World Cup. With them leading the way, Botafogo only conceded one goal in their two matches against Atletico Madrid and PSG, the fewest by any side in their first two matches against UEFA opponents in the Club World Cup.

Renato Paiva’s men pulled off a massive upset against PSG, despite having seen less of the ball. Igor Jesus completed a smash-and-grab when he raced past multiple PSG defenders and slotted the ball home past Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 36th minute. 

Jesus also scored against the Seattle Sounders and was joined by Cunha in the scoresheet. Cunha is exceptional in aerial duels, while fellow defender Cuiabano is an offensive-minded full-back.

 

History

Unlike in the other matchups here in the 2025 Club World Cup, Palmeiras and Botafogo have a history together, as they’re championship rivals in the Brazilian Serie A in the past few years. Botafogo beat out Palmeiras in last year’s title race by a six-point margin. However, the latter most recently had a repeat after winning in 2022 and 2023. They also faced off in the Round of 16 in last year’s Copa Libertadores, as Botafogo won 4-3 on aggregate after an exciting two-legged encounter.

Renato Paiva’s side is undefeated against Abel Ferreira’s group in their last five competitive encounters (W3, D2). Palmeiras’ last win over Botafogo was a 4-3 result back in November 2023.

Saturday marks only the second-ever all-Brazilian clash in Club World Cup history. The first came in the 2000 final between Corinthians and Vasco da Gama, which ended 0-0 in regulation before Corinthians won the penalty shootout.

 

Betting Tip

The Club World Cup 2025 odds expect a close fight between the two Brazilian Serie A rivals. Palmeiras have the slight edge at 2.37, while Botafogo are not far behind at 2.97, and a draw is at 2.92 in the 1X2 market. 

Choosing the winner between these two is difficult, but one thing’s for sure: football fans would get their daily fix of Club World Cup 2025 highlights from this contest. Besides our recommended bet, bettors can also go for alternatives such as Over 1.75 at 1.66, Over 2.25 at 2.17, and Total Goal 2-3 at 1.92. Furthermore, a Correct Score of 0-0 – the result of their previous league meeting – could yield a solid payday of 6.80 your bet.

   

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