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Brasileirão 27th Round Midweek Preview [Wed Sep 21st, 2005]
Although throughout the current championship various teams have played musical chairs with the Brasileirão throne, only Ponte Preta and Corinthians have managed to warm the number one spot for three consecutive rodadas.
Southern pretenders Internacional – a.k.a. Colorado – have their first shot at defending the top slot against potential usurpers Corinthians and Fluminense.
Muricy Ramalho’s Internacional (1st – 47) need to overcome the suffocating atmosphere of the Castelão stadium and ninth placed hosts Fortaleza. The northerners name translates as ‘fortress’, and this year their home ground is living up to the name; Fortaleza have bagged the most points at home of all 22 teams in the first division.
The Timão and Tricolor Carioca will be praying that this trend continues, and Muricy will have to get past sensitive absences; midfielder Alicerces is injured, while Tinga and Perdigão have to sit it out suspended being replaced by Wellington and Ricardinho.
Gutsy defender Wilson is also doubtful, still paying for playing with an injury in the last match, stand-in BolÃvar getting the start.
The Vila Belmiro will draw a lot of attention as Santos (5th – 44) and Palmeiras (6th – 42) duel it out in a classic Paulista derby. Despite playing away, Emerson Leão’s Alviverde is in better physical and psychological shape, having climbed from 16th to 6th under the iron-fisted coach.
His opposite number, Gallo, is under pressure as the Peixe have been underperforming recently and Nelsinho Baptista is waiting in the wings after returning from the J-League. If that wasn’t enough, the straight-faced coach needs to dribble round four no-go players: Kléber, Wendel, Ãvalos and Giovanni. It’ll be make or break.
The Raulino de Oliveira Stadium, in Rio satellite Volta Redonda, sees a Carioca classic being played at exactly the same time. The Fla-Flu pits high-flying Fluminense (3rd – 46) against recovering Flamengo (18th – 30). Abel Braga’s Tricolor Carioca will have to do without four players, but Urubu coach Andrade will still hedge his bets with a conservative 3-5-2.
Two foreign players are set to tip the balance in favour of their teams. Serbian ex-pat Petkovic and Paraguayan Cesar ‘El Tigre’ Ramirez are on peak form, even though the former recently uncharacteristically wasted a penalty that could have still seen Flu sitting pretty in pole position. Ramirez has honed his aim and will be trying to match his excellent debut last rodada.
São Paulo (13th – 34) take on Cruzeiro in the Mineirão, Paulo Autuori forced to improvise a partner for stopper Diego Lugano in the Tricolor Paulista defense. The chosen one – by default – is new boy Flávio, stepping in for Fabão, Alex and Edcarlos to partner the Uruguayan. The Raposa are desperate for a win after being denied in the four opportunities after Fred was sold to Lyon.
Full Fixture List:
São Caetano v Figueirense
Fortaleza v Internacional
Paraná v Brasiliense/DF
Goiás v Paysandu
Santos v Palmeiras
Fluminense v Flamengo
Cruzeiro v São Paulo
Aaron Marcus
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