It’s Samba Time! Decision time in the Brasileirão Série A last matchday.
Tonight, the Brasileirão Série A will determine which team will be crowned the league’s title and Copa Libertadores and Sudamericana qualifying teams, following the ten matches that will occur in the 38th round of the 2023 season. There is a four-way battle for Brazil’s league title, with São Paulo’s Palmeiras having the greatest chance of winning the title. The football club currently has a 99.9% chance of winning the 2023 Brasileiro title.
Palmeiras Looking to Win it all:
Palmeiras are no strangers to winning the title, as they are the current champs. The Sao Paulo-based club has accumulated 69 points, while Atlético-MG and Flamengo are not far behind with 66 points each. Palmeiras are paired with Belo Horizonte’s Cruzeiros in today’s matchup. If the São Paulo team secures a win today or if the team does not lose by more than 8 goals, they will be able to clinch the Brazilian title and be declared champions.
🚨 IF Palmeiras do not lose their final league game by a difference of – 8 goals, then they will be the Brazilian League champions! pic.twitter.com/y0SsGXdTsj
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) December 3, 2023
A Sliver of Hope for Atlético Mineiro:
One of today’s matches will feature Atlético Mineiro and Bahia. Mineiro currently holds the second overall ranking in the league with 66 points, and the team will face off against the regulated team Bahia, which presently sits at 41 points.
The last time Mineiro won the league title was in 2021, which was the first time in 50 years that the team brought the Brazilian title home to Belo Horizonte. Before the 2021 title, the team was closest to clinching the title in 2012. That season, the team reached second place after Ronaldinho joined the franchise, and the Brazilian legend would later lead the team to win the Copa Libertadores the following season. Atlético would need to clinch a win today and secure a significant number of goals for there to be any chance they can surpass Palmeiras in their accumulated points to secure the league title.
Can São Paulo Win Again:
This past September, São Paulo FC and Flamengo faced off to see who would win the Copa do Brasil. For the first time in franchise history, São Paulo FC managed to win the cutthroat competition. Since the team managed to win the cup, this accomplishment secured their spot in the CONMEBOL Libertadores competition. Football fans will be able to watch these two teams face off head-to-head once again in today’s matchup. Will this be Flamengo’s chance to redeem themselves following the Copa do Brasil game and secure their spot in the Libertadores?
Fluminense eyeing the FIFA Club World Cup:
Another notable matchup in today’s 38th round will be between Gremio and Fluminense. The fourth-place team, Gremio, will face off against current CONMEBOL Libertadores champions Fluminense, ensuring an exciting game with the help of Fluminense stars Marcelo and Germán Cano.
After a 17-year hiatus from the Brazilian league and his lengthy career with Real Madrid, in 2023, Marcelo returned to the team where he started his professional career, Fluminense. Alongside Marcelo is Argentinian native Germán Cano, who was the leading scorer in the Libertadores after scoring 13 goals for his club.
Marcelo and Cano have played crucial roles in helping Fluminense this season, so football fans can expect an engaging game when they compete against Gremio tonight and hope to secure one last win before entirely shifting their focus to the FIFA Club World Cup. Following tonight’s game, the Rio de Janeiro-based team will head to Saudi Arabia to compete in the tournament’s semifinals on December 18th. It is still unknown who Fluminense will be competing against as the spots are yet to be determined, but the club has secured their place in the semifinals thanks to their Libertadores title.
🏆🇭🇺 Siempre hay una primera vez: @FluminenseFC campeón de la CONMEBOL #Libertadores.#GloriaEterna pic.twitter.com/DJz3hDs9I1
— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@Libertadores) November 4, 2023
Brazil Title Slips Away from Botafogo:
For the majority of the 2023 season, Botafogo was ranked the number one team in the Brasileirão Série A league, and they seemed to be the likely contenders for the title. This was exciting for the team as they had not won a league title since 1995, and this season had seemed promising. Unfortunately, following the last ten games, the franchise ended up falling behind into fifth place, losing their chance at grasping the league title. Today, Botafogo will compete against Internacional, and if Botafogo manages to win the game, they may be able to secure their spot in the CONMEBOL Libertadores.
🚨🇧🇷 | A Botafogo fan burning their shirt in the stands after they bottled a 13 point lead at the top and are now longer in the top 4.
— All Things Brasil™ 🇧🇷 (@SelecaoTalk) December 4, 2023
pic.twitter.com/V959MPSntL
While today’s matches will determine the Brasileirão Série A title winner, it will also establish which teams will compete in the CONMEBOL Libertadores. With all of the different possibilities that can occur as a result of the ten football matches today.
