Get Ready again: The Serie B is also about to Start!

By: Bruno Romani | May 12th, 2007

Ok, ok. Série A, the first division of the Brazilian league, is the one that draws more attention. But Série B, the second division, is as thrilling and full of traditional clubs. Since Palmeiras and Botafogo visited the second-division in 2003, the série B started to be followed closer by the media and the fans. The promise of unforgettable battles on Tuesdays and Friday nights remains alive, and if you have nothing to do and find yourself drinking at some shady bar with strangers, the chances you will enjoy these games increase.

In the past série B had a more democratic aspect than série A, putting together clubs from all the regions of Brazil. True that the 5 regions still will be there, but this year’s edition has an impressive number of clubs from São Paulo. Out of the 20 clubs, 8 are paulistas. Considering the 4 clubs playing série A, São Paulo has 12 of its 20 clubs in the state’s first division playing series A and B. The Northeast has only 5 clubs, a huge drop compared to the past, and the central region ha only 2 clubs. The South will be represented by 3 clubs, but none from Rio Grande do Súl. The 20 clubs will fight for 38 rounds for 4 spots in the série A.

The tournament also will see 3 clubs having their debut. Grêmio Barueri, from the city of Barueri, São Paulo will try to keep their impressive campaigns of past years which brought the club from the fifth division to the first one at the state level, and from non-participation in the third division to the second division at the national stage.

Ipatinga, from Minas Gerais, is the new power in Minas Gerais, behind Cruzeiro and Atlético, and will play série B for the first time after reaching the semifinals of the Copa do Brasil twice and winning the state league in the past years. Flamengo’s coach, Ney Franco, headed the club in the past successful campaigns.

Finally, São Caetano will debut in série B after jumping from the third to the first division in the confusing tournament of 2000. This year’s runners-up of São Paulo state league is a favorite to returning to série A, despite losing coach Dorival Júnior to Cruzeiro and key players to bigger Brazilian sides.

The road to First Division in 2007: The Map of 2007's Serie B

North:

1-Clube do Remo. Home: Belém, PA. Chances: Plays to avoid third division.

Northeast:

2- Fortaleza. Home: Fortaleza, CE. Chances: It will be among the top 10.

3- Ceará. Home: Fortaleza, CE. Chances: Tries to avoid relegation.

4- Santa Cruz. Home: Recife, PE. Chances: After just one season in série A, they’re back to the second division and are in the midst of a huge crisis. Not a candidate to relegation, but not a favorite to série A as well.

5- CRB. Home: Maceió, AL. Chances: I smell relegation.

6- Vitória. Home Salvador, BA. Chances: The club that revealed Dida, Júnior and others spent one year in third division, and now tries to use all its tradition to return to série A. It will be among the top 10.

Central Region: 7 – Gama. Home: Brasília – DF. Chances: Plays for a decent campaign.

8- Brasiliense. Home: Brasília – DF. Chances: It will be among the top 10.

Southeast:

9- Ipatinga. Home: Ipatinga, MG. Chances: Favorites to série A.

10- Ituano. Home: Itú, SP. Chances: Tries just to hang on to série B.

11- Marília. Home : Marília, SP. Chances: Same as Ituano. It will stay in série B.

12- Paulista. Home: Jundiaí, SP. Chances: Favorites to série A.

13- Ponte Preta. Home: Campinas, SP. Chances: The traditional club is a favorite to série A due only to its history and coach Nelsinho Baptista.

14- São Caetano. Home: São Caetano, SP. Chances: Super-favorites to série A.

15 – Grêmio Barueri. Home: Barueri, SP. Chances: In their debut, the club is a candidate to relegation.

16 – Santo André. Home: Santo André, SP. Chances: The club tries to forget the relegation in the state league in order to repeat good campaigns from the past. São Caetano’s main rival is a big question mark.

17 – Portuguesa. Home: São Paulo, SP. Chances: The lusa is always a big question mark, but after returning to first division at the state level, the club is a favorite to série A.

South:

18- Coritiba. Home: Curitiba, PR. Chances: Top 10, with decent chances of a promotion to first division.

19 – Avaí. Home: Florianópolis, SC. Chances: It will just hang on to série B.

20 – Crisciúma. Home: Crisciúma, SC. Chances: Top 10.