Minas and Praia clash on Friday looking to respond to recent upsets

Coming from defeats in their most recent 2025-2026 Brazilian Men's Superliga matches, Itambé Minas and Praia Clube are set to appear in the Derby of the week looking to get things back on track.

The Minas Gerais state rivals will clash on Friday, at 18:30 local time (21:30 UTC), in Belo Horizonte, as part of the sixth leg of the second round of the tournament's regular season.

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Both teams are inside the Superliga's top four and well-positioned to confirm their presence in the playoffs. Praia, which currently appear in second place with 36 points, could book their tickets as soon as this week, while fourth-placed Minas, which have 28, will still need a few more victories to do the same.

The home team in Friday's Derby, Minas are currently in a difficult run of form, having lost four of their last five matches, including the last one, to Suzano Vôlei. Consistency hasn't been one of the team's strengths in 2025-2026, as after dropping five of the first six matches of their campaign, they won six straight to move up the standings.

The team has, however, found a pair of reliable options at opposite, as Samuel Neufeld and Aboubacar 'Abouba' Dramé have been splitting time at the position with some success - the 21-year-old is the team's leading scorer with 180 points, while the former Brazilian national team player has registered 137 so far.

Their opponents Praia went down at home for the first time in the season last Monday, when they lost to SESI Bauru, but they haven't have many ups and downs in 2025-2026, having lost back-to-back matches just once, in December.

Veteran opposite Franco Paese is Praia's top scorer and ranks third in the entire Superliga with 288 points. Outside hitter Paulo Vinicios Silva comes next with 211.

The teams have met twice already in the season, with each side coming out on top once - Praia triumphed in the tie-breaker at home in the first round of the Superliga, while Minas got a sweep in the Minas Gerais State Championship.

Cruzeiro try to stop Suzano on Thursday

The Superliga leaders and the only team already guaranteed in the postseason, Sada Cruzeiro will play on Thursday, at 21:30 local time (00:30 UTC, Friday), and should have a big challenge in front of them, trying to stop fifth-placed Suzano, who are undefeated in their last four matches, on the road.

The first day of matches of the sixth leg will also have tenth-placed Viapol Vôlei São José facing sixth-placed Saneago Goiás Vôlei at 19:00 (22:00 UTC) and 12th-placed JF Vôlei meeting 11th-placed Joinville Vôlei one hour later.

Brazilian Men’s Superliga – Match Schedule & Results

The two remaining matches are scheduled for Friday, with seventh-placed Vôlei Guarulhos Bateubet playing eighth-placed Azulim Sicoob Aracoop Monte Carmelo at 19:30 (22:30 UTC) and ninth-placed SESI battling third-placed Vôlei Renata Campinas at 21:30 (00:30 UTC, Saturday).

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