Novorizontino vs Ponte Preta - Serie B

Novorizontino prepare to host Ponte Preta at the home ground on October 10, 2026, with both sides eager to assert their credentials and claim a result that could define their Serie B season. O'Neill made five changes for Celtic's midweek win at St Johnstone as he rested some key players ahead of Sunday's clash.

Positionally there is a clear hierarchy: Novorizontino sit 1st, Ponte Preta lie 20th, but the Serie B has a habit of defying such logic. Novorizontino have been picking up results at a respectable clip, DWWWW over their last five with a season win rate of 50%. The visitors have been enduring a wretched campaign, L in their last five and a season win rate of just 7.41% that leaves them deep in trouble. The contrast in attacking output — 1.71 versus 0.59 goals per game — adds an extra layer of intrigue. On Wednesday night, Infantino was given the "full support" of FIFA's management board in a statement despite being forced to abandon his plan to sell stakes in a company to run the World Cup to private investors.

Pressing intensity will define the contest. Novorizontino will seek to win the ball high up the pitch and suffocate Ponte Preta's build-up, while the visitors will aim to play through the pressure and exploit the spaces it leaves behind. And his efficiency in possession will be helped by those whom he now shares a dressing room with, allowing a more progressive midfielder to develop akin to City's style.

When Mikael is on the pitch — 15 goals to his name this term — moments of magic are never far away, and the Serie B's top scorer will be central to how this one unfolds. Set-piece specialists and aerial threats on both sides mean dead-ball situations could carry outsized importance. The 18-year-old midfielder is set to team up with the club's academy before moving into the first-team once he has settled in.

The market has yet to form a strong view, and the contest looks genuinely difficult to call. Backed by home advantage and superior form, Novorizontino ought to prevail — a 2-1 victory looks the logical call. With the standings tight and form on the line, this is a fixture neither side will want to lose. Manchester City will begin another Premier League season with major uncertainty hanging over the club after league chief executive Richard Masters admitted the long-awaited verdict on their financial case has taken longer than expected.