Brazilian League

[MDMA]

What do you think about the national league?
I'm very happy cause Palmeiras is the leader.

[MDMA]

I'ld like to read your opinion about the Brazilian league...

1º Palmeiras*********** 28
2º São Caetano*******25
3º Atlético/MG********* 23
4º Fluminense********* 22
5º Bahia*************** 19
6º Paraná************** 18
*7º São Paulo***********18
*8º Botafogo/RJ********18

PALMEIRAS FOREVER =)

[Garrincha]

Originally posted by MDMA
I'ld like to read your opinion about the Brazilian league...
1º Palmeiras*********** 28
2º São Caetano*******25
3º Atlético/MG********* 23
4º Fluminense********* 22
5º Bahia*************** 19
6º Paraná************** 18
*7º São Paulo***********18
*8º Botafogo/RJ********18


Well, Palmeiras is doing well in the league so far, and they've got a good squad - although their own supporters seem to be unhappy, and complain about everything the coach does. It's a traditional Palmeiras thing: they're never happy with defense-minded teams, they always want one more attacker. I personally find it silly, but hey, it's not my team. The main star is paraguayan national right-back Arce, and forward mids Lopes and Pedrinho are the other highlights of the team.

São Caetano is a small team that last year managed to go all the way to the runner-up spot in the National Championship. Their squad is substantially different from last year's, and the manager seems to be the one responsible for the success. The main attraction is veteran forward Muller.

Atletico and Fluminense are two traditional big clubs, both with strong squads; another thing in common is that nobody counted them as favorites for the title before the championship began. Atletico's stars are national team-level strikers Marques and Guilherme; Fluminense's biggest name is former Benfica midfielder Roger.

Bahia and Paraná are the other surprises among the top 8 (eight qualify for the final playoffs). Both are smaller clubs, with more modest squads - but in Brazil, every year there are surprises, as everyone always has new talent to surprise the others. Sometimes a smaller club will manage to build a good (and unexpensive) squad using good "scouts" around the country. This seems to be the case with these two.

Botafogo (my club) and São Paulo are two other big clubs. São Paulo hired Milan midfielder Leonardo for this season, and are big favorites for the title, with a superb youth-team generation exploding in the main squad.

Botafogo has a good squad, with assorted good players, and the coach that led us to the national title in 1995, Paulo Autuori. The stars are forward Rodrigo (top goalscorer in this championship) and striker Dodo.

Other candidates for the title are Gremio (led by WC '94 midfielder Zinho); Cruzeiro (huge favorites, with Alex, Rincón and Edmundo); and Flamengo (big favorites with Vampeta, Juan, Petkovic and Edilson, currently in a well deserved slump :D)

Well, that's my take on the championship. It should be mentioned that the fixtures list was planned so the biggest clubs - like Botafogo, Palmeiras, Atletico/MG and São Paulo - only meet later in the championship. At this stage, most matched are big club x smaller club. This is meant to keep the tournament "hot" and interesting until the very end. Will it work? Maybe, who knows?