Against All Odds: Fig Tree to bloom at Santos

The Santos players are praying for Libertadores football

It's Brazilian action for Paul Robinson tonight as he thinks that Figueirense can take something from their trip to Santos.

Santos v Figueirense
Sunday September 21, 22:30 BST

Santos are ninth in the league having collected 30 points from 22 fixtures to date. Last year's seventh placed finishers will have wanted to challenge for the Copa Libertadores places, but as it stands, they are seven points adrift of Corinthians in fourth.

Enderson Moreira's side had started the campaign well but they've now lost seven of their last 12 in the Campeonato. Half of those losses did come on the road though and their record at home is good - six wins from their last seven - but it is worth noting that all of those victories came against teams in the bottom half of the division.

Figueirense are back in the top flight after a couple of years in Serie B and after a slow start to life with the big boys, 'The Fig Tree' are now beginning to stand tall again. The catalyst for change was the appointment of Argel Fucks as manager, as since he took charge on July 24th, the Santa Catarina based club have lost just two from 11 in the league - and one of those came at the reigning champions.

Both of the defeats came away from home and while there is no disguising that a trip to Vila Belmiro is far from easy, they can take heart from the fact that under the new manager, they have won at Chapecoense, Vitoria and Internacional - the latter after trailing 2-0 at half time.

The home team are the worthy favourites here but the visitors are on a roll right now and they are more than capable of earning at least a draw. That's why, with Santos trading at around the 1.674/6 mark, I have to make them my lay of the day.

Recommended Bet
Lay Santos v Figueirense @ 1.674/6

2014 P/L (1pt each bet)

Wagered: 253 pts
Returned: 263.32 pts
P/L: + 10.32 pts (after commission)
(2013 P/L: + 3.80 pts)
(2012 P/L: + 9.60 pts)