Sunday, May 18, 2025 – 20:00 (GMT)

The Ba-Vi rivalry between Bahia and Vitória is one of the fiercest in the north of Brazil. These two clubs share a long-standing history filled with passion, drama and intensity every time they meet.

Their last clash came in the Campeonato Baiano, where the match ended in a 1-1 draw. However, it was Bahia who progressed to the next round on aggregate, winning 3-1 over the two legs.

Bahia
After winning five matches on the spin, Bahia are now hoping to turn things around, having suffered three consecutive defeats. Their most recent loss in the league came away to Flamengo, where an 8th-minute goal from Giorgian de Arrascaeta was enough to give the hosts all three points. In truth, Bahia were second best throughout, allowing 14 shots and managing just six of their own.

They’ll be hoping to tighten things up defensively in this fixture, especially after another disappointing performance in midweek. Bahia took on Atlético Nacional of Colombia in the Copa Libertadores and fell to a 1-0 defeat, with Kevin Viveros scoring the winner in the second half. Despite the result, Bahia still have a shot at qualification to the knockout stages.

For now, all focus turns to this clash — a high-stakes Ba-Vi derby against bitter rivals Vitória. After eight league matches, Bahia sit in 8th place and will be eager to bounce back in style on derby day.

Vitória
After eight matches, Vitória sit in 14th place with two wins, three draws and three defeats. Last time out in the league, they pulled off an impressive 2-1 victory at home against Vasco da Gama, despite playing the majority of the match with ten men. Matheuzinho was sent off in the 33rd minute, and just nine minutes later, Pablo Vegetti put Vasco in front.

It looked like it was going to be a long evening for Vitória, but that proved to be far from the case. A second-half brace from Renato Kayzer turned the match on its head and secured a crucial three points in a spirited comeback win.

Then in midweek, Vitória travelled to Uruguay to face Cerro Largo in the Copa Sudamericana and came away with a 1-0 victory, courtesy of an 83rd-minute goal from Claudinho. The result saw them climb into second place in the group standings, setting up a final-day showdown for progression with Defensor Sporting, Defensa y Justicia and Cerro Largo still in the mix.

Their final group-stage match will be against Universidad Católica of Ecuador, who have already secured qualification. But before that, all eyes are on the Ba-Vi derby as Vitória look to carry their momentum into the Brasileirão and get one over on bitter rivals Bahia.

Prediction – Bahia 1-0 Vitória