🔊 The FIFA Club World Cup is gaining momentum! As the group stage concludes, it sets the stage for thrilling playoff matchups. The Round of 16 kicks off with an exciting Brazilian derby between last season's league runners-up, Palmeiras, and the reigning Brazilian champions and Copa Libertadores holders, Botafogo. Both teams have earned their playoff spots despite facing tough opponents in their groups. Below, we provide the latest updates from the clubs' camps and offer our prediction for the match. Which of these Brazilian sides will advance to the quarterfinals to face the winner of Benfica vs. Chelsea? We'll find out after the showdown at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Head-to-Head

📊 Both teams compete in Brazil's premier football tournament, the Campeonato Brasileiro, which means they frequently face off against each other. In their 39 previous head-to-head encounters, Palmeiras hold a slight edge with 17 victories compared to Botafogo's 12. Another 10 matches have ended in draws, the most recent being on March 30, 2025, at Palmeiras' home ground during the first round of the championship, concluding with a 0-0 scoreline.

📊 Both teams compete in the premier football tournament of the country, the Brazilian Championship, and thus regularly face off against each other. In their 39 previous head-to-head encounters, Palmeiras hold a slight edge with 17 victories compared to Botafogo's 12. Additionally, 10 matches have ended in a draw—the most recent of which took place on March 30, 2025, at Palmeiras' home ground during the opening round of the championship, finishing with a scoreline of 0-0.

Palmeiras Team Overview

🟢 Abel Ferreira's team fought for a playoff spot in Group A, where they faced Porto, Al Ahly, and Inter Miami. In their opening match, the "green and whites" drew 0-0 with the Portuguese side, then confidently dispatched the Egyptians 2-0, virtually securing their place in the next round despite the upcoming clash with Inter Miami.

⚪ However, losing the final match was highly undesirable. If Porto defeated Al Ahly, the teams could end up level on points, with goal difference deciding the playoff spot. In the first half against the American club, Palmeiras failed to capitalize on their few chances, and their defense struggled. By the 16th minute, the "green and whites" were trailing, and soon after, center-back Murilo suffered what appeared to be a hamstring injury.

🔗 The team went into halftime trailing and couldn't find their rhythm until midway through the second half. Inter Miami scored a second goal in the 65th minute, putting Palmeiras in a tough spot. Only with 10 minutes remaining did the Brazilians truly realize they were at risk of missing out on the playoffs. The team began their comeback: in the 80th minute, Allan provided a brilliant through ball that Paulinho converted one-on-one, and by the 87th minute, Mauricio equalized with a powerful shot from inside the box. The "green and whites" had a chance to take the lead at the very end but couldn't capitalize on a good opportunity, ending the match in a 2-2 draw. After three rounds, Palmeiras topped Group A thanks to their superior goal difference.

Botafogo FR Team Overview

⚫ Renato Paiva's team might have found themselves in the toughest group of the tournament, facing Seattle Sounders, PSG, and Atletico Madrid. In their opening match against the American side, the Brazilians secured a 2-1 victory. The second round posed a much sterner test against the current powerhouse of European football, PSG. A draw in such a clash would have been considered a respectable result, but Botafogo exceeded expectations: not only did they keep a clean sheet, but they also found the net—thanks to Igor Jesus converting a one-on-one opportunity after an excellent pass from Jefferson Savarino. The "Lone Star" claimed their second consecutive narrow win (1-0).

⚪ Despite these two initial victories, Botafogo's fate hung in the balance in the third round against Atletico Madrid. The "Colchoneros" needed not just a win but a convincing one to level on points with the Brazilians and surpass them on goal difference. Botafogo lost, but only narrowly—the solitary goal came in the 87th minute (0-1), which was insufficient for the Madrid side to advance to the playoffs.

⭐ At the conclusion of Group B, PSG, Botafogo, and Atletico each amassed six points. According to tournament rules, when teams are tied on points, the team with the superior goal difference takes precedence, rather than head-to-head results. Consequently, PSG took the top spot, while Botafogo claimed second place, enough to progress to the Round of 16.

Latest news

Palmeiras

🎙️ Abel Ferreira reflected on the draw with Inter Miami: “At halftime, I told the players that it was impossible to play worse than we did in the first half. We failed to contain our opponents and couldn't apply pressure in attack. However, our fighting spirit in the second half was crucial—we battled until the end and were rewarded for it,” noted the Palmeiras head coach.

❌ In the upcoming match against Botafogo, Palmeiras may face some squad issues. Center-back Murilo Cerqueira is doubtful due to a hamstring injury, and holding midfielder Anibal Moreno is experiencing discomfort in his hamstring. Winger Bruno Rodrigues and midfielder Vitor dos Santos Figueiredo remain sidelined with knee injuries.

Botafogo FR

🎙️ Full-back Alex Telles shared his emotions after the team's advancement to the knockout stage of the Club World Cup: "Here we are—those who some thought just came to see Mickey Mouse at Disneyland—have reached the round of 16 from the 'group of death.' This qualification reflects the tremendous work done by this incredible team," the player stated.

❌ In the upcoming match against Palmeiras, Botafogo will have to cope without their defensive midfielder Gregore de Magalhães, who is serving a suspension due to an accumulation of yellow cards. Additionally, attacking players Jefferson and Matheus Martins have been sidelined for an extended period due to various injuries.

⚽ Goal Predictions

⚽ Goal Predictions

Analyzing the current numbers from the Brazilian championship, Palmeiras have scored 12 goals and conceded 8 after 11 rounds, while Botafogo have netted 14 and let in 7. This puts the "Green and Whites" slightly behind the "Lone Star" with averages of 1.1 versus 1.3 goals scored per match, and 0.7 versus 0.6 goals conceded.

However, in the ongoing Club World Cup, Palmeiras boast a better goal difference with 4 scored and 2 conceded, compared to Botafogo's 3 scored and 2 conceded.

Despite these stats, we won't fully rely on them as this is a different tournament and stage—playoffs—where character, tactical flexibility, and individual skill take precedence over numbers. Therefore, our prediction emphasizes the attacking capabilities of both teams. Palmeiras have the bright young talent Estevao leading their attack, while Botafogo rely on the prolific and tenacious Igor Jesus.

Considering the potential of these players and the knockout nature of the matches, we recommend betting on both teams to score (yes).

🚩 Corner Kick Predictions

During the three group stage matches, Palmeiras earned a total of 17 corners: 4 against Porto, 6 versus Al-Ahli, and 7 against Inter Miami. In contrast, Botafogo managed only 4 corners in the same period: none against Seattle, 1 against PSG, and 3 versus Atletico Madrid.

Given this data, a win for Palmeiras in total corner kicks seems a logical outcome, particularly considering Abel Ferreira's team's attacking style and their activity on the flanks.

Brazilian teams have been a pleasant surprise in this tournament, and we anticipate the upcoming match will follow suit. Both squads boast talented players who are already attracting interest from top European clubs, meaning no one will want to slip up here. Each team already features genuine stars: Estevao from Palmeiras and Igor Jesus from Botafogo have both been named Man of the Match twice in the first two rounds. Both players will be heading to England to continue their careers in the Premier League after the tournament.

Jesus has already proven his worth, ranking among the tournament's top scorers, while Palmeiras' young prospect Estevao has yet to find the net—what better time than now, in the Round of 16, to showcase his potential and justify his upcoming move to Chelsea? We are confident this match won't be limited to just one goal, so we recommend considering a bet on over 1.5 goals—a reasonable and promising option with solid odds. The likely outcome is a 1-1 draw in regulation, with the first quarterfinalist being decided in a penalty shootout.