Preview: Fortaleza vs. Bahia - prediction, team news, lineups

The home side have picked up 13 points from their opening eight matches of the season to sit ninth in the table, while Bahia are 16th, collecting seven points from their first eight games of the campaign.

Match preview

Fortaleza were 2-0 winners over Vasco da Gama in their last Brasileiro contest on May 27, but they have also been victorious in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana and Copa do Brasil in their last three matches.

Indeed, Juan Pablo Vojvoda's team beat San Lorenzo 3-2 in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana to move onto 12 points from their four games in Group H, before beating Palmeiras 1-0 in the second leg of their last-16 contest, but they were still eliminated from the competition courtesy of a 3-1 loss.

Fortaleza will be back in Copa do Brasil action against Estudiantes de Merida on June 6, but four of their next five matches will come in the league, and they will be aiming to put together a run of consistent form, having won just one of their last five games in the Brasileiro.

Tricolor boast a record of three wins, four draws and one defeat from their nine matches this season, which has left them in ninth position in the table on 13 points, just three points behind second-placed Palmeiras.

Bahia, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a penalty-shootout success over Santos in the second leg of their last-16 contest in the Copa do Brasil.

Baea actually conceded a 95th-minute leveller in Wednesday's second leg, with Bruno Mezenega on the scoresheet, but the home side managed to navigate their way through a penalty shootout to triumph 4-3 and advance to the next round of the competition.

Renato Paiva's side have not managed to win in the league since the start of May, though, picking up just one point from their last four matches during a disappointing run.

The point came against Goias on May 20, losing to Santos, Flamengo and Internacional in three of their last four matches, which has seen them drop down the table into 16th spot, level on points with 17th-placed Goias.

Bahia were promoted from the second tier last season to return to the top level, and they will be looking to consolidate back in the Brasileiro this term.

Fortaleza Brasileiro form:

W

D

D

D

L

W

Fortaleza form (all competitions):

D

D

L

W

W

W

Bahia Brasileiro form:

W

W

L

L

D

L

Bahia form (all competitions):

W

L

L

D

L

W

Team News

Thiago Galhardo and Juan Martin Lucero have both been in strong form for Fortaleza this season, scoring 14 and 13 goals respectively, while Silvio Romero has also chipped in with nine.

Romero could find himself on the bench for the first whistle despite his impressive return, though, with Galhardo and Lucero set of feature in the final third.

The home side will be without the services of two first-team players through injury, with Fernando Miguel and Pedro Rocha both on the sidelines due to knee injuries.

Bahia, meanwhile, have four players unavailable for selection due to fitness problems, with Matheus Bahia, Iago Felipe, Raul Gustavo and Marcos Victor all on the treatment table.

Everaldo has been the team's main source of goals this season, finding the back of the net on 11 occasions in all competitions, and he will again lead the Bahia line.

Head coach Paiva is again expected to line his side up in a 3-4-3 formation, which should see Cauly and Biel operate in the wide areas, with the latter netting eight times in all competitions this term.

Fortaleza possible starting lineup:

Ricardo; Tinga, Britez, Titi, Pacheco; Calebe, Hercules, Alexandre, Moises; Galhardo, Lucero

Bahia possible starting lineup:

Felipe; Kanu, Duarte, Hugo; Jacare, Thaciano, Rezende, Chavez; Cauly, Everaldo, Biel

We say: Fortaleza 2-0 Bahia

Bahia's success over Santos on Wednesday would have boosted their confidence, but their recent league form has been disappointing, and they will be up against it in this match. Fortaleza have had their problems this season, but we are expecting them to secure all three points on Saturday.

Previews by email