The FIFA Club World Cup is underway, and an all-Brazilian clash between Palmeiras and Botafogo promises to be a highlight of the Round of 16. These two historic clubs will meet at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at 5 pm BST.
Palmeiras reached the knockout stage after finishing top of Group A with one win and two draws. In a dramatic turn of events, they secured their spot with a late comeback against Inter Miami, scoring twice to finish the match in a 2-2 draw. Before that, Palmeiras displayed a strong attacking presence, which their young talents Vitor Roque and Estevan will be tasked with leading, while Paulinho and Facundo Torres will be backing them. However, their four goals scored in the group stage were the fewest of any group winner, with one of those being an own goal.
Botafogo, on the other hand, finished second in Group B with two wins and one loss. They are coming off a stunning 1-0 upset against European powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain. Botafogo also managed to beat Seattle Sounders 2-1. However, they ended the group stage with a 1-0 loss to Atlético de Madrid. Similar to Palmeiras, Botafogo isn't exactly a goal machine, as they only managed to score three goals in the group stage. Their leading scorer is Igor Jesús, who has three goals. Botafogo's strategy often involves a counter-attacking style, preferring to absorb pressure and strike with speed.
The two sides share recent history. Botafogo narrowly edged past Palmeiras 4-3 on aggregate in a tense round of 16 tie on their road to a maiden Copa Libertadores title last year. In overall historical matchups, Palmeiras holds a slight advantage, having won 23 out of 52 matches against Botafogo. However, Palmeiras haven't secured a victory against Botafogo since November 2023, failing to win in their last five encounters. Their previous encounter ended in a scoreless draw.
SportsLine expert Jon Eimer notes that Botafogo and Palmeiras have played each other seven times over the past two years, through Serie A league and Copa Libertadores action. Botafogo has recorded four wins in that stretch with two draws. He is confident that Botafogo will continue the trend with yet another victory on Saturday.
The match will be broadcast for free on DAZN.
