Libertadores, Relegation: Campeonato Brasileiro is Alive!

By: Bruno Romani | November 5th, 2007

The Campeonato Brasileiro already has its champion. Does it make the rest of the championship boring? I don’t think so. The battles to qualify to Copa Libertadores and to escape relegation are thrilling, as if each team played for its own title.

Who expected Flamengo, who fought relegation just months ago, to be fighting for a spot in next year’s Copa Libertadores? But Flamengo lost this Sunday against Cruzeiro, a club that was fighting for the title and now sees even a spot in the Libertadores in danger. The 3-1 at home game some hope to Cruzeiro, and stopped Flamengo for the moment.

The other teams fighting for Libertadores did not do well as well. Palmeiras visited Sport and lost its second game in a row. Carlinhos Bala scored twice in the 3-1. Santos played Atlético-MG at home and scored 2 own goals in the 2-2 draw. Coach Wanderley Luxemburgo thrashed his players after the match. Grêmio played Figueirense at home. It started well with the referee giving the locals a penalty. Argentinean goalkeeper Saja took it and scored. However, he forgot the basic principle of Rogério Ceni: if you wanna score you’d better be a great keeper. Saja had a blunder and Figueirense won 2-1.

The relegation fight is even more dramatic. Paraná beat direct rival in the struggle to avoid série B Goiás, and gained some hope. Naútico visited Fluminense and lost 2-1 despite the goal score by Acosta. All these results were excellent for Corinthians, who played Atlético-PR at Pacaembu. The locals started well, making great pressure, and scored through defender Betão. Everything seemed perfect. The second-half came and Atlético came back, dropping a psychological bomb. Suddenly, Corinthians players seemed scared. And a loss seemed to be the only result ahead. But everything with Corinthians is dramatic. There is always sweat, blood and tears. With 3 minutes into the stoppage time, Finnazzi scored again and saved Corinthians. The Timão now is one point away of the relegation zone and plays twice away.

In the category “very ignorable match” Botafogo and América-RN tied 1-1.