Brazil's Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras poised to win Campeonato Brasileiro Série A

Palmeiras leads the 2023 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A with three rounds remaining, following a 1-0 victory over Fortaleza Esporte Clube on Thursday

With three matches remaining in the 2023 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras is in the driver’s seat to win its eleventh Brazilian Série A title, and its first since 2018.

Palmeiras leads second-place Internacional by eight points. A win in any of their remaining three matches would clinch the title.

Palmeiras’ victory over Fortaleza on Thursday was its fifth straight, and its ninth in its last ten matches.

Raphael Veiga and Rony have led Palmeiras' resurgence

Two mainstays of that run have been Raphael Veiga and Rony. Veiga is the team’s leading scorer with 14 goals, while Rony is second with 12.

Veiga missed most of last season due to injury, so coming close to scoring as many goals as he did in 2022 while playing fewer than 1,000 minutes fewer is a significant accomplishment. He is averaging 0.82 goals per 90 minutes in the league, and .96 goals per 90 minutes in all competitions, which is up from his totals in his last healthy season in 2021.

Rony has seen a slight dip in his goalscoring since last season, but is on pace for his third straight season with at least 20 goals in all competitions. He can still finish as the league’s leading scorer after scoring the game winner against Fortaleza.

Palmeiras has yet to clinch the title, but it is heavily favored to do so

Palmeiras is heavily favored to win the title, with title odds around -1200 (bet $100 to win $8.33). Internacional is second at +430 to win the title.

Palmeiras will face América Mineiro, Ceará, and Cuiabá in its final three matches.

Internacional will face Coritiba, Grêmio, and América Mineiro.

Palmeiras has won four of its last five matches against Internacional, but Internacional won the most recent match 3-0 in May. If Palmeiras drops points in any of its remaining matches and Internacional wins out, Internacional would win the title on goal differential.