2012 Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A

As the sun sets on the European season, it rises in Brazil to welcome the start of another compelling Brasileirao campaign. Here's a quick guide to one of the most exciting leagues in the world.

THE TEAMS (by state)

Sao Paulo

Corinthians
Palmeiras
Santos
Sao Paulo
Ponte Preta
Portuguesa

Rio De Janeiro

Botafogo
Flamengo
Fluminese
Vasco de Gama

Rio Grande do Sul

Internacional
Gremio

Minais Gerais

Atletico Mineiro
Cruzeiro

Pernambuco

Sport Recife
Nautico

Santa Caterina

Figueirense

Parana

Coritiba

Bahia

Bahia

Goias

Atletico Goianienese

The situation

The main challengers for the title should be Fluminese, Corinthians, Sao Paulo, Vasco, and Santos.

Flamengo have a good squad but are in a state of disarray, and have a limited coach at the helm. Palmeiras are going through a transition period as well. Botafogo will find it hard to replicate their success from last year. Gremio and Inter are a mixed bag.

Figueirense were the big surprises last year, but will find it hard to do the same in this campaign with the lost of their coach and many key players. Ponte Preta look set to play the role of the little train that could this season.

Relegation candidates...Nautico and Atletico Goianinese will definitely be in the thick of it.

The players who will shine

You all know a lot of the names - Neymar, Ganso, Deco, Dede, Lucas, Oscar, Juninho, Damiao, Fred etc. Here are some of the other guys who haven't gotten much press outside of Brazil who will light up the season:

Fagner (RB/Vasco da Gama)
Arouca (CM/Santos)
Wellington Nem (CF/Fluminese)
Romulo (CM/Vasco da Gama)
Elkeson (CAM/Botafogo)
Maicosuel (CAM/Botafogo)
Thomas (CAM/Flamengo)
Walter Montillo (CAM/Cruzeiro)
Leandro Castan (CB/Corinthians)
Paulinho (CM/Corinthians)
Bertologio (CAM/Gremio)

So, if you feel the football itch on the weekend, give the Brasileirao a look. Great teams, great players, skills galore, and heart-pounding drama. What's not to like? Games normally have two slots: 12pm PT/3pm EST/8GMT and 3:30pm PT/5:30pm EST/10:30GMT. It'll be worth it.

First round of games (19/05/12 & 20/05/12)

Palmeiras-Portuguesa
Sport Recife-Flamengo
Figueirense-Náutico

Botafogo-São Paulo
Corinthians - Fluminense
Internacional-Coritiba
Ponte Preta-Atlético Mineiro
Vasco da Gama-Grêmio
Cruzeiro-Atlético GO
Bahia-Santos

I heard Botafogo might be signing Seedorf, and picking up Andre Santos on loan.

Edit: and Andrezinho

1st goal of the season



FT scores

Palmeiras 1x1 Portuguesa
Sport 1x1 Flamengo

Real football.

The top teams in Brazil are great but the league lacks real depth most likely because most of the top sides are in either Sao Paulo or Rio de Janeiro. I remember reading about a Serie D game a few years ago that only 12 people attended.

There are teams not in those two states who are very good. Inter will be title challengers this year, Gremio will be pushing at the door, and although Cruzeiro and Atletico Mineiro are going through some difficulties now, they are no pushovers. Counting the 8 big teams from Rio/SP, that's 12 big teams out of 20.

Even though the drop-off in quality when you go to the other sides is significant, it's still not a guarantee that one of the big teams will win. Such is the nature of the Brazilian game.

As for attendance thing, Brazilians pick and choose the matches they go to for a number of reasons like price, time, whether the team is doing well or not, the opponent etc. Serie A itself has very low attendances (average of 14 thousand last year). In the north though, you'll see big crowds on a regular basis. Santa Cruz drew in over 60,000 last year in the playoff final to reach Serie C.

When's the first Santos match, Rei?

Was looking forward for this thread, want to watch some Brazilian football this season .

Would love Seedorf to play in Brazil, as long as it's in FIFA territory it's fine anyway .

Juventino. wrote:When's the first Santos match, Rei?

Today at 5:30 EST, but we're playing the reserves so...

The first team will play in Thursday's game against Velez in the Libertadores.

Great day of football today although most of the big teams on show played reserves because of the upcoming Copa Libertadores games. Some of the more interesting games.

Botafogo 4x2 Sao Paulo

Botafogo were sunk before Herrera came on at halftime. He went on to score a hat-trick.

Inter 2x0 Coritiba

Composed win by O Colorado.



Vasco 2x1 Gremio

Vasco's reserves were lucky to get all three points. Gremio were all over them and even missed a penalty.

Bahia 0x0 Santos

The reserves did well for 11 guys who had never played together before, but a couple of guys didn't pull their weight at all. Borges missed two sitters.

Then there was this guy in Bahia's stadium:



Looks like the same guy who did the same thing last year when Santos played Bahia. I think it's a reference to destroying Santos (the team's nickname is The Fish) but c'mon, man. At least cook it.

The Botafogo match was good. Didn't get to watch the rest, but I'll try to watch a few more next week.

Before the Botafogo x Sao Paulo game last week, Luis Fabiano and Renato made a bet. Whoever was on the losing side had to do the other guy's laundry. Sao Paulo lost.



They were ex-teammates for a long time at Sevilla by the way.

Four games today, three of them were fairly drab from all accounts. The fourth involved Flamengo throwing away a 3x1 lead to tie with 3x3 with Inter. Fabricio unleashed this rocket:



Good point for Inter away from home, especially given that they have a lot of injuries and absentees (Oscar and Leandro Damiao on Brazil duty). Flamengo now have two draws in a row. It may be early in the season, but you can't help bu think they'll be in relegation trouble unless they fire Joel Santana. The team is shambles.

Alecsandro also scored this peach of a goal:

Ronaldinho canceled his contract with Flamengo over unpaid wages earlier this week (or was it last week...). Surprisingly moved to Atletico Mineiro.

Ze Roberto officially signed for Gremio yesterday. He showed off some muscles to quiet down the complaints that he's too old.



Specimen.

Is it true that Botafogo are in for Seedorf? Would be a great signing for any Brazilian team .

I love using the Brazilian teams on Fifa. Internacional Porto Alegre and Sao Paulo are prob my favs.

Christ he's cut from granite.

Gotta back the tri color Sao Paulo

Edit: And second trig....my favorite is Sao Paulo. They have three good strikers and behind them I put Lucas and Marlos

Gegilworld93 wrote:Is it true that Botafogo are in for Seedorf? Would be a great signing for any Brazilian team .

The interest is there, but no further developments have happened recently.

Man, the Santos v Fluminese was supposed to be on ESPN3 and now they're not showing it...

Will Ronaldinho play for Atletico Mineiro tonight?

Rei, I'm gonna need some proper links for the matches tonight.

Splashy wrote:Will Ronaldinho play for Atletico Mineiro tonight?

Not sure. He's in the squad though.

Trig wrote:Rei, I'm gonna need some proper links for the matches tonight.

All links here at match time:

http://facebook.vc/

You can also find some at first row sports.

Sweet. Can't wait for Sao Paulo v IPA.

Idk why I havn't gotten ESPN Deportes yet...

D'Alessandro, 1-0 Internacional at the Half.

He will wear number 49 in reference to his mother's birth year since his preferred number 10 was already assigned to Guilherme.^[49]

Quality reason to pick your number when you have little to choose from.

Can't wait for Fernando to join the Selecao...the best midfielder in Brazil.

The one from Gremio?

Oh and how is Gilberto Silva doing there nowadays?

Flamengo v Coritiba is currently live on ESPN UK for anyone interested.

Currently 2-1 Flamengo.

Gegilworld93 wrote:The one from Gremio?

Oh and how is Gilberto Silva doing there nowadays?

Yes, Fernando from Gremio.

Gilberto is now like our CB, he's not mobile enough for CM, which is where Fernando and Leo Gago play anyways..he's useful experience for the backline.

Atletico Mineiro x Palmeiras in 15. Ronaldinho is making his debut.