Athletico Paranaense vs Atlético Mineiro

Round 29 of the Brasileirão brings genuine stakes to Arena da Baixada. Athletico-PR sit third with 49 points, chasing a Libertadores spot, while Atlético-MG are seventh on 40, still fighting to force their way back into continental contention. Athletico-PR arrive off a nervy 2-1 win over Bahia that ended a three-game winless run, with goals from Lucas Esquivel and Jorge Rivaldo, both set up by Kerwin Vargas. Colombian forward Kevin Viveros leads the attack as Serie A's joint top scorer with 12 goals. Atlético-MG, meanwhile, have steadied under coach Eduardo Domínguez after a rocky start under Jorge Sampaoli, still leaning on Bernard and Gustavo Scarpa to create chances. The overall head-to-head is tight, with Atlético-MG holding a narrow 21-19 edge across 52 meetings, and they've fared well in Curitiba lately, winning six of the last nine visits here, including the unforgettable 2021 Copa do Brasil final. Our prediction: 2-1