Five
months since the exhilarating climax of
last season's
Brasileirão, the
teams are ready to compete for the national title after some gruelling
state championship campaigns. A host of new signings, new clubs and new
managers will be desperate to test their mettle in search of success.
Last year's champions
Corinthians remain among the favourites, but
Fluminense,
Santos and
São Paulo will all provide stern opposition.
Tite's side were applauded for their excellent work-ethic and team
morale, and the trainer has been reluctant to make too many new
additions as he seeks to preserve that. Midfield linchpin
Alex will need
to be at his best Corinthians, who are looking to claim consecutive
titles, but it will be no easy feat. This year's tournament will be made
all the more interesting by the occurrence of the
Olympic Games.
Some
of the best players will be unavailable for long periods so their teams
must perform on a high level without them. The European transfer
window, other international call-ups, the
Copa Libertadores final stages
and the
Copa do Brasil will all have an impact on the aims and
achievements of each club.
Fluminense have enjoyed a great start
to the year with
Deco,
Fred,
Thiago Neves and
Rafael Sóbis making the
side look like contenders, whilst Santos also seem in unstoppable form.
The Peixe can call upon two of the nation's most exciting talents in
Neymar and
Ganso. São Paulo have spent huge sums of money in a bid to
secure Copa Libertadores football but
Internacional,
Vasco da Gama,
Flamengo and
Botafogo will all have one eye on the top prize for next
year.
| Atletico Goianiense |
 |
| Coach |
Adilson Batista |
| Stars: |
William, Elias |
| Last Season: |
13th |
| Season Objective: |
Avoid relegation |
| Ins: |
Fernando Bob (Fluminense), Elias (Figueirense), William (Avai), Danilinho (CRAC-GO), Gustavo (Flamengo), Raylan (Bahia de Feira) |
| Outs: |
Anderson (Fluminense), Thiago Feltri (Vasco), Vitor Junior (Corinthians) |
| State success or state suffering? |
Reached the final but were unable to defeat Serie B side and rivals Goiás in the final Defensive reinforcements needed |
| Bahia |
 |
| Coach |
Falcão |
| Stars: |
Lulinha, Souza |
| Last Season: |
14th |
| Season Objective: |
Mid-table position |
| Ins: |
Ciro (Fluminense), Gerley (Palmeiras), Gutierrez (Oriente Petrolero), Morais (Corinthians) |
| Outs: |
Paulo Miranda (Sao Paulo), Tiago (Gremio Barueri) |
| State success or state suffering? |
Won the state championship against their
Salvador rivals Bahia having kept a large number of the players that
helped achieve safety last season |
| Botafogo |
 |
| Coach |
Oswaldo de Oliveira |
| Stars: |
Renato, Elkeson, Sebastian Abreu (below) |
| Last Season: |
9th |
| Season Objective: |
Libertadores qualification |
| Ins: |
Andrezinho (internacional), Fellype Gabriel (Kashima Antlers), Vitor Junior (Corinthians) |
| Outs: |
Bruno Cortez (Sao Paulo), Caio (Figueirense) |
| State success or state suffering? |
Marched to the Carioca final with a 23-game unbeaten streak but were well and truly beaten by Fluminense in the final |
| Corinthians |
 |
| Coach |
Tite |
| Stars: |
Paulinho, Alex |
| Last Season: |
1st |
| Season Objective: |
Title challenge |
| Ins: |
Elton (Vasco), Douglas (Gremio), Cassio (PSV) |
| Outs: |
Morais (Bahia), Adriano (Released), Vitor Junior (Botafogo) |
| State success or state suffering? |
Disappointingly knocked out in the quarter-finals of the Campeonato Paulista by Ponte Preta |
| Coritiba |
 |
| Coach |
Marcelo Oliveira |
| Stars: |
Paulinho, Alex |
| Last Season: |
1st |
| Season Objective: |
Title challenge |
| Ins: |
Elton (Vasco), Douglas (Gremio), Cassio (PSV) |
| Outs: |
Morais (Bahia), Adriano (Released), Vitor Junior (Botafogo) |
| State success or state suffering? |
Disappointingly knocked out in the quarter-finals of the Campeonato Paulista by Ponte Preta |
| Cruzeiro |
 |
| Coach |
Celso Roth |
| Stars: |
Fabio, Wallyson, Walter Montillo (below) |
| Last Season: |
16th |
| Season Objective: |
Mid-table finish |
| Ins: |
Walter (Porto), Amaral (America MG), Diego Arias (PAOK), Alex Silva (Flamengo), Tinga (Internacional) |
| Outs: |
Naldo (Gremio), Fabricio (Sao Paulo), Marquinhos (Sport Recife) |
| State success or state suffering? |
Last season's dreadful form continued into this
year's state championship. They failed to reach the final and sacked
Vagner Mancini |
| Figueirense |
 |
| Coach |
Argelico Fucks |
| Stars: |
Julio Cesar |
| Last Season: |
7th |
| Season Objective: |
Avoid relegation |
| Ins: |
Ignacio Canuto (Libertad), Caio (Botafogo), Franco Niell (Argentinos Jrs.) |
| Outs: |
Juninho (Palmeiras), Bruno, Wellington Nem (Fluminense), Maicon (Sao Paulo) |
| State success or state suffering? |
Defeated by Avai in the Catarinense final and Branco was therefore sacked |
| Flamengo |
 |
| Coach |
Joel Santana |
| Stars: |
Ronaldinho, Renato Augusto, Vagner Love |
| Last Season: |
4th |
| Season Objective: |
Libertadores qualification |
| Ins: |
Vagner Love (CSKA Moscow), Ibson (Santos), Jorge Luiz (Friburgense), Wellington (Resende) |
| Outs: |
Thiago Neves (Fluminense), Willians (Udinese), Alex Silva (Cruzeiro), Gustavo (Atletico-GO) |
| State success or state suffering? |
Hugely disappointing in the Carioca state championship and Libertadores |
| Fluminense |
 |
| Coach |
Abel Braga |
| Stars: |
Deco, Thiago Neves, Wellington Nem, Fred |
| Last Season: |
3rd |
| Season Objective: |
Title challenge |
| Ins: |
Thiago Neves (Fluminense), Wagner (Gaziantepspor), Bruno (Figueirense), Thiago Carleto (Sao Paulo), Anderson (Atletico GO) |
| Outs: |
Souza (Cruzeiro), Araujo, Marcio Rosario (Nautico), Mariano (Bordeaux), Marquinho (Roma) |
| State success or state suffering? |
Won their first Carioca state championship since 2005 |
| Gremio |
 |
| Coach: |
Vanderlei Luxemburgo |
| Stars: |
Victor, Marquinhos |
| Last Season: |
12th |
| Season Objective: |
Sudamericana qualification |
| Ins: |
Kleber (Palmeiras), Marcelo Moreno (Shakhtar Donetsk), Souza (Porto), Ze Roberto (Al-Gharaffa), Para (Santos) |
| Outs: |
Mario Fernandes (CSKA Moscow), Fabio Rochemback (Dalian Aerbin), Brandao (Marseille), Douglas (Corinthians), Lucio (Nautico) |
| State success or state suffering? |
Failed to reach the final after losing to arch rivals Internacional in the second round |
| Internacional |
 |
| Coach: |
Dorival Junior |
| Stars: |
Oscar, Andres D'Alessandro, Leandro Damiao |
| Last Season: |
5th |
| Season Objective: |
Libertadores qualification |
| Ins: |
Marcos Aurelio (Coritiba), Dagoberto (Sao Paulo), Jesus Datolo (Espanyol), Jaja (Al-Ahli) |
| Outs: |
Glaydson (Nautico), Tinga (Cruzeiro), Lauro (Ponte Preta), Andrezinho (Botafogo) |
| State success or state suffering? |
Crowned as champions after winning in the second round and final |
| Nautico |
 |
| Coach: |
Gallo |
| Stars: |
Elicarlos |
| Last Season: |
2nd (Serie B) |
| Season Objective: |
Avoid relegation |
| Ins: |
Marcio Rosario (Fluminense), Glaydson
(Internacional), Breitner (Santos), Cleverson (Avai), Lucio (Gremio),
Martinez (Cerezo), Rodrigo Tiui (Terek) |
| Outs: |
11 and Kieza (Al-Shabbab) |
| State success or state suffering? |
Fourth place earned a semi-final appearance but they were defeated by Sport Recife |
| Palmeiras |
 |
| Coach: |
Luiz Felipe Scolari |
| Stars: |
Marcos Assuncao, Jorge Valdivia |
| Last Season: |
11th |
| Season Objective: |
Sudamericana qualification |
| Ins: |
Hernan Barcos (LDU Quito), Juninho
(Figueirense), Wesley (Werder Bremen), Adalberto Roman (River Plate),
Daniel Carvalho (Atletico MG), Henrqiue (Barcelona) |
| Outs: |
Pedro Carmona (Sao Caetano), Fernandao (Atletico PR), Gabriel Silva (Granada), Kleber (Gremio), Marcos (retired) |
| State success or state suffering? |
A bright start to the Paulistao soon faded away
and despite securing a quarter-final berth they were defeated by Serie B
side Guarani |
| Ponte Preta |
 |
| Coach: |
Gilson Kleina |
| Stars: |
Caio, Roger |
| Last Season: |
3rd (Serie B) |
| Season Objective: |
Avoid relegation |
| Ins: |
12, including Marcinho (Atletico PR), Rene, Baraka (Mogi Mirim), Somalia (Botafogo) |
| Outs: |
Renato Caja (undecided), Guilherme (Corinthians), Agenor (America MG) |
| State success or state suffering? |
Will have been delighted to reach the Paulistao
semi-final but need to continue strengthening the squad to have a
realistic shot a salvation |
Portuguesa
|
 |
| Coach: |
Geninho |
| Stars: |
Ananias, Ricardo Jesus, Guilherme |
| Last Season: |
1st (Serie B) |
| Season Objective: |
Avoid relegation |
| Ins: |
Ricardo Jesus (CSKA Moscow), Gledson (Boa), Maylson (Gremio) |
| Outs: |
Edno (Tigres), Marco Antonio (Gremio), Weverton (Atletico PR) |
| State success or state suffering? |
Some excellent Serie B performances seemed a distant dream as the side were relegated to the Paulista second tier this year |
Santos
|
 |
| Coach: |
Muricy Ramalho |
| Stars: |
Neymar, Ganso, Arouca |
| Last Season: |
10th |
| Season Objective: |
Title challenge |
| Ins: |
Jorge Fucile (Porto), Juan (Sao Paulo), Bernardo (Vasco), Gerson Magrao (Dinamo Kiev) |
| Outs: |
Ibson (Flamengo), Rodrigo Possebon (Vicenza), Danilo (Porto), Breitner (Nautico) |
| State success or state suffering? |
Crowned Paulista champions for the third consecutive year and on the charge for more honours |
Sao Paulo
|
 |
| Coach: |
Emerson Leao |
| Stars: |
Lucas, Jadson, Luis Fabiano |
| Last Season: |
6th |
| Season Objective: |
Title challenge |
| Ins: |
Jadson (Shakhtar Donetsk), Bruno Cortez (Botafogo), Fabricio (Cruzeiro), Osvaldo (Ceara), Paulo Miranda (Bahia) |
| Outs: |
Dagoberto (Internacional), Henrique (Granada), Xandao (Sao Paulo) |
| State success or state suffering? |
Reached the semi-final of the Paulistao but were steamrolled by Neymar's Santos |
Sport Recife
|
 |
| Coach: |
Vagner Mancini |
| Stars: |
Bruno Aguiar, Julinho, Felipe Azevedo |
| Last Season: |
4th (Serie B) |
| Season Objective: |
Avoid relegation |
| Ins: |
Bruno Aguiar (Santos), Julinho (Vasco), Rivaldo (Palmeiras), Edcarlos (Gremio), Felipe Azevedo (Ceara) |
| Outs: |
Marquinhos Parana, Marcelinho Paraiba (Gremio Barueri), Robston (Atletico PR) |
| State success or state suffering? |
Only lost twice in 22 games during the Pernabucano league stage, but lost to Santa Cruz in the final. |
Vasco da Gama
|
 |
| Coach: |
Cristovao Borges |
| Stars: |
Dede, Juninho Pernambucano, Diego Souza |
| Last Season: |
2nd |
| Season Objective: |
Libertadores qualification |
| Ins: |
Rodolfo (Lokomotic Moscow), Thiago Feltri (Atletico GO), Carlos Tenorio (Al-Nasr), Matias Abelarais (free transfer) |
| Outs: |
Julinho (Sport Recife), Bernardo (Santos), Allan (Udinese) |
| State success or state suffering? |
Reached both the Taca Guanabara and Rio finals but lost on both occasions and may struggle to maintain another title challenge |
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