Football Bet of the Day: Back a booking bonanza in all-Brazilian Copa Libertadores clash

The 2025 Copa Libertadores group stage campaign comes to a close this week, and arguably the pick of the games comes from Porto Alegre on Wednesday night (23:00), as Internacional host Bahia in an all-Brazilian clash at the Estadio Jose Pinheiro Borda.

With both clubs vying for a spot in the knockout stages of the competition, this midweek meeting, which features in my Football Bet of the Day for Wednesday, May 28, could get very tasty...

After five games played, Internacional are second in the Group F standings, a point behind leaders Atletico Nacional. Both clubs are on course to reach the knockout phase of the Copa Libertadores, while third-place Bahia will likely be demoted to the Copa Sudamericana unless they can win on Wednesday. Bottom side Nacional (Uruguay) can also leapfrog Bahia in third, although that would require a few things to go their way.

So, there's a lot at stake in Porto Alegre as Internacional and Bahia face off, with continental qualification on the line for both. As a result, we could see the referee's cards come out to play, making booking points an interesting betting angle to consider.

Two of Internacional's five group stage games have produced 62.5+ booking points, while Bahia's contests have been much cleaner, with none of theirs hitting those heights.

However, with so much on the line this week, I'm expecting that statistic to change.

Football Odds

The reverse fixture in Salvador last month saw four yellow cards dished out, three to Internacional and one to Bahia, with each caution amounting to 10 booking points with Betfred. In total, there were 40 booking points awarded.

However, the last meeting between the two teams in Porto Alegre, in April last year, there were 80 booking points, with Internacional shown five yellows and Bahia given three.

Bahia, meanwhile, have picked up 24 yellows and two reds in 10 Serie A games this season, with Internacional receiving 17 and two, respectively, with midfielder Ronaldo dismissed in Sunday's 1-1 draw with Recife Sport.

Wednesday's visitors were also involved in a feisty weekend clash as 80 booking points were awarded in their 1-0 defeat to Gremio, with Bahia responsible for half (four) of the cards produced.

I can see things spilling over in midweek as both teams look to avoid the drop into the Copa Sudamericana. Fouls, arguments, time-wasting, you name it - we could see it all here, so at 1/1, 62.5+ booking points in Internacional v Bahia is my Football Bet of the Day for Wednesday, May 28.

Remember, with Betfred, a yellow amounts to 10 booking points, a straight red 25, and a dismissal for two bookable offences 35 - read our handy guide here for more information on booking points.