Fluminense may not go down easily at table-toppers Palmeiras

Brazilian Serie A
11.45pm Wednesday

The oddsmakers roundly expect odds-on shots Palmeiras to defeat Fluminense at the Palestra Italia as the Alviverde close in on a second Campeonato in three seasons.

Luiz Felipe Scolari's men, champs in 2016 and runners-up last season, continue to be the powerhouse of Brazilian club football and could be crowned Serie A winners as early as this weekend when they will still have three matches left to play.

For that to materialise the first thing they need to do is see off mid-table Fluminense and as likely as that is, the hosts are no sort of value at 4-11.

Palmeiras have won just one of their last five, albeit two of those fixtures were against Boca Juniors in the semi-final of the Copa Libertadores, a match Boca won.

Unscarred, Palmeiras hit back from that disappointment by narrowly edging ten-man Santos 3-2 and drawing 1-1 at Atletico Mineiro.

These fixtures are getting edgy and even though the home side are near full strength with front­men Dudu, Mayke and Diogo Barbosa all available after bans, this could be a tense affair.

Flu still have a Copa Sudameri­cana semi-final to finish, though that's a couple of weeks away and despite being in modest form themselves, they can keep Palmeiras honest.

Marcelo Oliveira's men could be worth support on the Asian handicap.

Recommendation
Fluminense +1.25 on Asian handicap
1pt 39-40 bet365

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