Santos vs Gremio Prediction & Betting Tips - Copa Libertadores

Prediction published on 14/12/2020, 22:45  by Daniel Ngulu | Modified on 14/12/2020 at 22:47 in Copa Libertadores Predictions

Santos will be hosting Gremio in an all Brazilian affair in the second leg of the Copa Libertadores quarter finals on Thursday. The two sides played to a 1-1 draw in the first leg and this is expected to be a cracker. Santos have struggled a bit in their recent matches and most of their problems have emanated from their own abrasive approach to matches. They suffered a 4-1 loss to Flamengo in their last match, and by the time they got to score their goal, they had already conceded four goals. It is in the Copa Libertadores that they have attracted very negative headlines. In their last two matches in this competition, Santos have had two players sent off. In the last round, they had to scrape through after a home loss to LDU Quito, in a match that saw 23 additional minutes played and three players sent off. Six cards were flashed by the referee after the 88th minute of that ill-tempered game and though Santos lost, they advanced courtesy of their 2-1 away win. That game marked the start of their winless run, and they have now failed to win in four straight games. The abrasive approach was again witnessed in their away game at Gremio, which ended 1-1. They had key forward Diego Pituca sent off in the 90th minute and in the 12th minute of added time, Gremio equalized through Diego Souza. Santos will definitely need a different approach going forward as they have now failed to win in their last four games, have no clean sheet in the last seven and just one in 11 matches. They have only won three of their last 10 matches and conceded two or more in three of their last five games. The team is winless in the last two home matches and has just one clean sheet in the last five home matches. In the Copa Libertadores, Santos have no clean sheet in the last six games while they are winless in the last two. At home, in the same competition, they have one loss and two wins in six matches and head to head, each of these two sides has won twice in the last six meetings.

Gremio, on the other hand, have had a much decent run in their recent matches, and head to this clash on a run of 18 matches unbeaten. They have done their business in an organized manner and have six clean sheets in the last 10 matches ahead of this game, with three of them coming in the last four matches. Gremio have scored two goals or more in seven of their last 10 matches and will be hoping to get back to winning ways after drawing their last two matches. In their most recent game, Gremio drew 0-0 with Goias and going to this game, will once again bank on key man, Diego Souza, who has scored three goals in the last three matches. Away from home, Gremio are unbeaten in eight matches, winning five of them and keeping six clean sheets. They are unbeaten in six Copa Libertadores matches, winning four and keeping four clean sheets in the process. Heading here, they will be going for a third straight away win in this competition and they have six wins in the last eight away matches in Copa Libertadores.