Against All Odds: Things to go from bad to worse for Avai

It's a tearful time for Avai supporters

The Brazilian season is drawing to a close and Paul Robinson is taking Portuguesa SP to further damage Avai's promotion chances from Serie B.

Avai v Portuguesa SP
Tuesday November 18, 21:30 GMT

It's been a terrible couple of months for Avai as they've won just one game since the end of September. After a run of a dozen fixtures where they didn't taste a defeat, the Santa Catarina based club looked set for a place in the top flight next season. The wheels have fallen off quite spectacularly since though as they come into this fixture having collected just four points from a possible 27.

It now means that the 'Lion of the Island' have dropped to seventh, with their campaign finishing with a tame ending. All isn't lost just yet, they are actually only one point off the promotion places, but with six teams fighting out for what is probably one spot, it's hard to see them turning things around and making the top four after all.

It could be worse though, they could be Portuguesa. Their opponents tonight are rock bottom and have known their fate for quite some time. Having only been relegated in the courtroom last year, it was almost inconceivable that 'Lusa' would be plying their trade in the third tier in 2015, but that is exactly what will happen.

Caretaker boss, Z Augusto, has a huge job on his hands but there are at least a couple of beacons of light. After going a whopping 14 matches without a win - 10 of which were defeats - the club from Sao Paulo finally recorded a victory over Luverdense a couple of weeks ago. They've since followed that up with a creditable draw against ABC - who incidentally beat the best team in Brazil in the Copa do Brasil on October 16th. 

This selection is a bit of a leap of faith but it's hard to get excited about a team who are in as much of a slump as Avai - especially at long odds-on. That's why, with their price trading at around the 1.538/15 mark, I have to make them my lay of the day.  

Recommended Bet
Lay Avai v Portuguesa SP @ 1.538/15

2014 P/L (1pt each bet)

Wagered: 310 pts
Returned: 330.73 pts
P/L: + 20.73 pts (after commission)
(2013 P/L: + 3.80 pts)
(2012 P/L: + 9.60 pts)