Cruzeiro will travel to the Barradas Stadium on Thursday evening to face Vitoria, looking to continue their excellent run in the Brazilian Serie A. The two teams have had very different starts to the 2025 season, with the home team currently 16th in the league table and the visitors second after 11 games.

Cruzeiro had a slow start to the season, losing two and drawing one in their first five games, but now they are in good form and a win here would see them move ahead of the league table this week, as Flamengo's game with Sporting Lisbon was postponed. La Poza closed the gap on the Rossoneri last week with a 2-1 home win over Palmeiras, with Caio Jorge scoring two goals in the first four minutes of the game. The 23-year-old centre-forward has been in excellent form this year, scoring eight goals and providing two assists in ten league games, the second-best goal total in the division so far behind Jorge Andreas Alascaeta (9). This result also brings new coach Leonardo Jardim's side to five wins and one draw in their last six games, with 16 points, the most in the top flight.

While the visitors have had a mixed record away from home this season, they have kept a clean sheet in their last two games and have taken four points from their opponents in last season's fixture. Vitoria finished 11th last season, just five points behind La Poza, but this season, they are already 10 points behind La Poza, with just two wins in their first 11 league games. The gap between 16th and 19th in the league table is just two points, with Fortaleza set to face Santos later in the day, and if Leonda Barra loses this week, they will slip into the relegation zone regardless of the result at the Castelao Arena.

Thiago Carpine's side are in the midst of a major restructuring this season, with several players being sacked in recent weeks, including Bruno Xavier, whose contract with the club was terminated last Friday. Following last week's goalless draw away to Corinthians, the Rossoneri have failed to score in three consecutive league games, only one of which came at home, where they have taken seven of their 10 points this season.

Vitoria will welcome the return of Mateuziño this week, with the 30-year-old midfielder forced to miss the game against Corinthians due to an accumulation of yellow cards. However, captain Lucas Halter received a yellow card in the previous game, forcing him to watch this week along with William Oliveira, Raul Cáceres and Neris, who are absent due to injury.

Likewise, for Cruzeiro, defender Lucas Villalba has been suspended and will return this week, but Cristian received his third yellow card of the season last time out and will not be involved in this game. The visitors also have three players out due to injury, including long-term absentee Joao Marcelo, as well as midfield duo Mateus Henrique and Yapa.

Vitoria's predicted starting lineup:

Acanio; Claudio, Edu, Marcos, Jamerson; Lele, Balaras, Ronald, Matheuzinho; Keizer, Braga

Cruzeiro's predicted starting lineup:

Cassio; Willian, Bruno, Villalba, Keiki; Romero, Silva, Pereira, Wanderson; Jorge Eduardo