Sao Paulo vs Cruzeiro – Copa Libertadores 

Cruzeiro and São Paulo decide today one of the spots for the Libertadores Cup semi-finals, after a surprising result for me of 2 – 0 for São Paulo in Minas.

It was surprising because I consider the team of Cruzeiro very good. They have great players, a lot of them came from last yeah, the same staff and they were in better shape than their opponents. This is the game of the season for Cruzeiro who will try to recover from the shame of the last defeat.

The manager Adilson Batista has some doubts if the right defender Jonathan and the striker Kleber can play, but he expectation is that both will play.

09.05.2010 D1 Série A Internacional RS Cruzeiro MG 1-2
06.05.2010 CLA 1/8 Final Nacional Montevideo Cruzeiro MG 0-3
16.04.2010 CLA Group 7 Colo Colo Cruzeiro MG 1-1
11.04.2010 MG Semifinal Ipatinga MG Cruzeiro MG 0-0
08.04.2010 MG Quarterfinal Uberaba MG Cruzeiro MG 0-3

São Paulo was the surprise of the last week. They don’t have a bad team, in fact they are one of the best, but they were playing very bad in the last gams.

The team was bad in Paulista and they haven’t played very well in the Libertadores where they eliminate the Peruan University in the penalties, but seems that the arriving of Fernandão gave a new hope for the team. The manager Ricardo Gomes will count with the return of Miranda but he will not count with Washington.

16.05.2010 D1 Série A São Paulo SP Botafogo RJ 1-2
05.05.2010 CLA 1/8 Final São Paulo SP Universitario 0-0 p.3-1
22.04.2010 CLA Group 2 São Paulo SP Once Caldas 1-0
11.04.2010 SP Semifinal São Paulo SP Santos SP 2-3
04.04.2010 SP Paulista São Paulo SP Botafogo SP 5-0

The fact is that even with the away victory from São Paulo I don’t think that they are a better team.

In Minas the defensive strategy with counter attacks was good, but will we see that again? I can’t ignore that Cruzeiro was the favourite and the team that was playing better football.

São Paulo was a team with no hope until that game. I don’t know if Cruzeiro will get the spot, but I think they will win here, in a two hands eliminatory I don’t think that the better team don’t win one game. It’s a risky bet, but I don’t think that all changed with just a victory.