Crystal Palace will host famed Brazilian club Botafogo on Saturday ahead of an unlikely partnership between the two clubs.
A delegation from the Rio-based team have arrived in England to embark on a fact-finding mission during which they will visit Palace’s acclaimed new £20million academy, that was opened in September, and examine the inner workings of head coach Patrick Vieira’s first-team set-up.
The visit, which is being overseen by Selhurst Park sporting director Dougie Freedman, starts in earnest on Friday and will also take in Saturday's Premier League clash against Chelsea.