The FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16 kicks off Saturday and SBR's Gary Pearson shares his Palmeiras vs Botafogo prediction in the all-Brazilian matchup:
Best bet: Botafogo to advance (+122 via FanDuel)
"Fierce Brazilian rivals renew hostilities in the Round of 16 at the Club World Cup. What more could you ask for?
Botafogo won last season's Copa Libertadores and Brasileiro Serie A.
Meanwhile, Palmeiras triumphed at the 2021 Copa Libertadores, finished second behind Botafogo in the league last season and currently sits in fourth place domestically, four points ahead of Saturday's opponents.
I'm giving the slight edge to Botafogo, who has one of the most stingy and well-drilled defenses in the competition. While their 1-0 victory over PSG stands out, it was a microcosm of how Botafogo consistently acquit themselves.
They have allowed four goals in their previous six matches and are undefeated in the last five against Palmeiras, winning three.
Their current form is impressive, too, with five wins in the last six. The only setback came against Atletico Madrid after they had already qualified for the knockout stages."
Best prop bet: Estevao Willian Over 0.5 shots on target (-125 via DraftKings)
"Estevao is receiving more hype than Taylor Swift's recent tour. He hasn't yet delivered like Swift, though. The highly touted Brazilian will join Chelsea at the tournament's conclusion and has shown glimpses of why the Blues forked out $70 million to secure his services.
While it's clear he's nowhere near the final product, Estevao reaches a breakneck pace with the ball at his feet, elegantly and seamlessly blowing past defenders.
He hasn't been nearly accurate enough at the Club World Cup, getting just one of his seven shot attempts on target. The main takeaway, though, is how easily he creates enough space to give it a go, and I'm hoping he's more accurate against Botafogo.
DraftKings offers -125 odds, markedly better than bet365's -250 and FanDuel's -210. I wouldn't recommend the prop with odds shorter than -150."
Palmeiras vs Botafogo odds:
Who do you think comes out on top in the opening match of the Knockout Stage?
Best bet: Botafogo to advance (+122 via FanDuel)
"Fierce Brazilian rivals renew hostilities in the Round of 16 at the Club World Cup. What more could you ask for?
Botafogo won last season's Copa Libertadores and Brasileiro Serie A.
Meanwhile, Palmeiras triumphed at the 2021 Copa Libertadores, finished second behind Botafogo in the league last season and currently sits in fourth place domestically, four points ahead of Saturday's opponents.
I'm giving the slight edge to Botafogo, who has one of the most stingy and well-drilled defenses in the competition. While their 1-0 victory over PSG stands out, it was a microcosm of how Botafogo consistently acquit themselves.
They have allowed four goals in their previous six matches and are undefeated in the last five against Palmeiras, winning three.
Their current form is impressive, too, with five wins in the last six. The only setback came against Atletico Madrid after they had already qualified for the knockout stages."
Best prop bet: Estevao Willian Over 0.5 shots on target (-125 via DraftKings)
"Estevao is receiving more hype than Taylor Swift's recent tour. He hasn't yet delivered like Swift, though. The highly touted Brazilian will join Chelsea at the tournament's conclusion and has shown glimpses of why the Blues forked out $70 million to secure his services.
While it's clear he's nowhere near the final product, Estevao reaches a breakneck pace with the ball at his feet, elegantly and seamlessly blowing past defenders.
He hasn't been nearly accurate enough at the Club World Cup, getting just one of his seven shot attempts on target. The main takeaway, though, is how easily he creates enough space to give it a go, and I'm hoping he's more accurate against Botafogo.
DraftKings offers -125 odds, markedly better than bet365's -250 and FanDuel's -210. I wouldn't recommend the prop with odds shorter than -150."
Palmeiras vs Botafogo odds:
Who do you think comes out on top in the opening match of the Knockout Stage?