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South American Debate: Pick Your 2009 Brasileiro Winner
With less than a cigarette paper between the top four in Brazil going into the final game Goal.com’s Tim Sturtridge canvases opinion on the where the title will be heading this Sunday...
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Dec 1, 2009 3:49:12 PM
Here’s how the Brasileiro stands after the penultimate round of the season. Of course there’s only going to be one winner but the top four in the league all progress to next year’s Copa Libertadores...
Anyone who witnessed the farce at the Masters Tennis in London last week will be happy to know that there is very clear criteria to determine who wins the Brazilian top flight. Here’s the factors that decide who comes out on top ranked in order of their importance...
1) Number of points
2) Number of wins
3) Goal difference
4) Goals scored
5) Head-to-head (Away goals rule applies)
6) Lowest number of red cards
7) Lowest number of yellow cards
8) Drawing lots (unless to decide the title or relegation in which case a one-match playoff at a neutral venue will be held)
So let’s take a closer look at the runners and riders who remain in the shake up at the top of the league...
Flamengo – It’s straight forward for Flamengo, a home win against Gremio in the Maracana will see the Rio team win the title. They’re sweating on the fitness of Adriano who is the league’s joint top scorer this season with 19. He missed last weekend’s win at Corinthians but goals from Zé Roberto on loan from Schalke 04 and a late penalty from right back Leonardo Moura was enough for Flamengo to claim all three points and go top of the league. In the game Ronaldo was subbed off early in the first half for Corinthians. Despite Flamengo having home advantage in their last game the do face a useful Gremio team who have won their last two and boast starlet Douglas Costa and former Barcelona striker the Argentine Maxi Lopez. To prepare for the game Flamengo have headed off to Granja Comer, the training facility of the Brazilian national team, outside the city of Rio.
Internacional – Internacional sit second in the league above the other two teams tied on 62 points thanks to their tally of 18 wins this season not to mention a superior goal difference. The team from Porto Alegre in the southern tip of Brazil climb up the league has been helped in no small part by Alecsandro’s 15 goals this season. They can also call on the talent of Argentine Andrés D'Alessandro when they host relegation threatened Santo André. Internacional were made to sweat a little last week when they fell behind to bottom placed team Sport Recife. Goals from Kleber and Andrezinho were eventually enough to give them all three points and leave them in with a shout of this season’s title. As Internacional are currently tied with Flamengo on 18 wins this season they know if the home side don’t get a win in the Maracana this Sunday and they can beat Santo André then the title will be heading south this season.
Palmeiras – Palmeiras got their run-in back on track in the best possible manner last weekend with a timely win over Atlético Mineiro. The game saw a return to the first team for on loan striker Vanger Love and he scored last weekend. Love is back in the team thanks to Palmeiras dispensing with the services of another on loan striker Obina who was chased out of the club last weekend along with the defender Maurício after the pair had an on pitch fight during The Palm’s defeat away to Grêmio. On the final day Palmeiras of São Paulo travel to Botafogo of Rio. Botafogo know that defeat in the game will seal their relegation while a win will most probably see them avoid the drop. If Palmeiras do win away to Botafogo then they must hope neither Flamengo or Internacional win. If both their rivals draw or lose and Palmeiras win then the title heads to the green part of São Paulo.
São Paulo – The reigning champions of Brazil have been doing their best in recent weeks to throw away their chance of making it back-to-back titles. At the weekend just gone they lost 4-2 to midtable Goiás and a week before that lost 3-2 to lowly Botafogo despite taking a lead in both away games. 34-year-old striker Washington bagged three goals in those two defeats to take his tally to 14 for the season and he will be out to grab a few more when São Paulo host the hapless Sport Recife in their last game. Despite Flamengo leading the league going into the last game, the match that São Paulo fans will be following besides their own on Sunday is Internacional’s home game with Santo André. If Flamengo and Palmeiras fail to win then victory will see São Paulo go above them. However for São Paulo to go ahead of Internacional at the weekend the current champions must rack up something akin to a cricket score as they trail the second placed team by 7 goals in the goal difference column. São Paulo do have the better of the head-to-heads with Internacional however with a 1-0 win at home and a 2-2 draw away this season.
Cruzeiro – For Cruzeiro to break into the top four on the last day frankly they need a miracle. As if hoping for the three teams above them to lose at the weekend wasn’t enough the team from Belo Horizonte also give up a 14 goal advantage to Internacional as well as having won a game less. While they have won 17 games the same as the other two they have a goal difference 10 goals worse than Palmeiras and 7 goals worse than São Paulo. Cruzeiro visit Santos on the last day as they look to pull off the impossible.
So where is this year’s Brasileiro heading? Which players will make the difference on the final day? Who will be filling next season’s Brazilian slots in the Copa Libertadores. Goal.com wants to know what YOU think...
Tim Sturtridge, Goal.com
| Pos | Team | Pts | Pl | W | D | L | Diff |
| 1 | Flamengo | 64 | 37 | 18 | 10 | 9 | +13 |
| 2 | Internacional | 62 | 37 | 18 | 8 | 11 | +18 |
| 3 | Palmeiras | 62 | 37 | 17 | 11 | 9 | +14 |
| 4 | Sao Paulo | 62 | 37 | 17 | 11 | 9 | +11 |
| 5 | Cruzeiro | 59 | 37 | 17 | 8 | 12 | +4 |
Anyone who witnessed the farce at the Masters Tennis in London last week will be happy to know that there is very clear criteria to determine who wins the Brazilian top flight. Here’s the factors that decide who comes out on top ranked in order of their importance...
1) Number of points
2) Number of wins
3) Goal difference
4) Goals scored
5) Head-to-head (Away goals rule applies)
6) Lowest number of red cards
7) Lowest number of yellow cards
8) Drawing lots (unless to decide the title or relegation in which case a one-match playoff at a neutral venue will be held)
So let’s take a closer look at the runners and riders who remain in the shake up at the top of the league...
Flamengo – It’s straight forward for Flamengo, a home win against Gremio in the Maracana will see the Rio team win the title. They’re sweating on the fitness of Adriano who is the league’s joint top scorer this season with 19. He missed last weekend’s win at Corinthians but goals from Zé Roberto on loan from Schalke 04 and a late penalty from right back Leonardo Moura was enough for Flamengo to claim all three points and go top of the league. In the game Ronaldo was subbed off early in the first half for Corinthians. Despite Flamengo having home advantage in their last game the do face a useful Gremio team who have won their last two and boast starlet Douglas Costa and former Barcelona striker the Argentine Maxi Lopez. To prepare for the game Flamengo have headed off to Granja Comer, the training facility of the Brazilian national team, outside the city of Rio.
Internacional – Internacional sit second in the league above the other two teams tied on 62 points thanks to their tally of 18 wins this season not to mention a superior goal difference. The team from Porto Alegre in the southern tip of Brazil climb up the league has been helped in no small part by Alecsandro’s 15 goals this season. They can also call on the talent of Argentine Andrés D'Alessandro when they host relegation threatened Santo André. Internacional were made to sweat a little last week when they fell behind to bottom placed team Sport Recife. Goals from Kleber and Andrezinho were eventually enough to give them all three points and leave them in with a shout of this season’s title. As Internacional are currently tied with Flamengo on 18 wins this season they know if the home side don’t get a win in the Maracana this Sunday and they can beat Santo André then the title will be heading south this season.
Palmeiras – Palmeiras got their run-in back on track in the best possible manner last weekend with a timely win over Atlético Mineiro. The game saw a return to the first team for on loan striker Vanger Love and he scored last weekend. Love is back in the team thanks to Palmeiras dispensing with the services of another on loan striker Obina who was chased out of the club last weekend along with the defender Maurício after the pair had an on pitch fight during The Palm’s defeat away to Grêmio. On the final day Palmeiras of São Paulo travel to Botafogo of Rio. Botafogo know that defeat in the game will seal their relegation while a win will most probably see them avoid the drop. If Palmeiras do win away to Botafogo then they must hope neither Flamengo or Internacional win. If both their rivals draw or lose and Palmeiras win then the title heads to the green part of São Paulo.
São Paulo – The reigning champions of Brazil have been doing their best in recent weeks to throw away their chance of making it back-to-back titles. At the weekend just gone they lost 4-2 to midtable Goiás and a week before that lost 3-2 to lowly Botafogo despite taking a lead in both away games. 34-year-old striker Washington bagged three goals in those two defeats to take his tally to 14 for the season and he will be out to grab a few more when São Paulo host the hapless Sport Recife in their last game. Despite Flamengo leading the league going into the last game, the match that São Paulo fans will be following besides their own on Sunday is Internacional’s home game with Santo André. If Flamengo and Palmeiras fail to win then victory will see São Paulo go above them. However for São Paulo to go ahead of Internacional at the weekend the current champions must rack up something akin to a cricket score as they trail the second placed team by 7 goals in the goal difference column. São Paulo do have the better of the head-to-heads with Internacional however with a 1-0 win at home and a 2-2 draw away this season.
Cruzeiro – For Cruzeiro to break into the top four on the last day frankly they need a miracle. As if hoping for the three teams above them to lose at the weekend wasn’t enough the team from Belo Horizonte also give up a 14 goal advantage to Internacional as well as having won a game less. While they have won 17 games the same as the other two they have a goal difference 10 goals worse than Palmeiras and 7 goals worse than São Paulo. Cruzeiro visit Santos on the last day as they look to pull off the impossible.
So where is this year’s Brasileiro heading? Which players will make the difference on the final day? Who will be filling next season’s Brazilian slots in the Copa Libertadores. Goal.com wants to know what YOU think...
Tim Sturtridge, Goal.com
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|
| Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £100 in free bets! |
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| Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
|
| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
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| Sign up with Paddy Power for a free bet up to £50 |
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