Prediction Competition – The Teams(1)

All the runners and riders in the Summer Prediction Competition as Lenny367 takes a look at the Brazilian Serie A – Part One

To read Part Two click here >>>

TO ENTER THE COMPETITION CLICK HERE

Atlético

Full name: Clube Atlético Mineiro
Founded, March 25, 1908
City: Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais)
Home ground: Mineirão, capacity 72,000
Nickname: Galo (The Rooster)
League champions: 1971
Final table position 2008: 12th in Série A
Experts say: Relegation Battle

* The poor relations in comparison to the bigger Cruzeiro with whom they share a stadium.

* They achieved fame back in 1971 when they won the inaugural league championship and have

* Since become an unpredictable club bouncing between the top and bottom of the table.

* Recognisable former players include : Gilberto Silva, Juliano Belletti and Alfonso Alves.

* Many expected former Sao Paulo striker Diego Tardelli to follow up his 16 goals in 16 games in the Mineiro championship and he hasn`t disappointed so far scoring two in five games so far, but it is another former Sao Paulo youngster, Eder Luis who has set the early pace with four goals in five games

Paranaense

Full name: Clube Atlético Paranaense
Founded: March 26, 1924
City: Curitiba (Parana)
Home ground: Arena da Baixada, capacity 25,272
Nickname: Furacão (Hurricane)
League champions: 2001
Final table position 2008: 13th in Série A
Experts say: Relegation Battle

* The Furacao returned to Serie A back in 1995 and have remained ever since.

* Despite from a title win back in 2001 they are regarded as relegation certs every year but end up in mid table.

* This year is no different and looking at the squad it is difficult to single out a “star” name, however the club have high hopes for a 20 year old product of their youth team, Wallyson, who has notched twice in their 5 games so far.

Avaí

Full name: Avaí Futebol Clube
Founded: September 1, 1923
City: Florianópolis (Santa Caterina)
Home ground: Ressacada, capacity 19,000
Nickname: Leão da Ilha (Lion of the Island)
League champions: never
Final table position 2008: 3rd in Série B (promoted)
Experts say: Relegation Favourites

* Avai gained promotion to the top flight following a 3rd place finish in Serie B where they had languished since 1998, rarely finishing above mid table.

* Looking through this years squad there are no names that leap out and coach Paulo Silas has yet to settle on a strike partnership.

* I saw this team play last season in their promotion campaign and could only sum them up as “uninspiring”.

* Searching for a few famous former players again came up with names only a true Avai affectionado would know of.

Barueri

Full name: Grêmio Recreativo Barueri
Founded: March 26, 1989
City: Barueri (Sao Paulo)
Home ground: Arena Barueri, capacity 17,000
Nickname: GRB, Abelha (‘The Bee’)
League champions: never
Final table position 2008: 4th in Série B (promoted)
Experts say: Relegation Favourites

* Barueri turned professional in 2001 and competed in Serie C for the first time in 2006 gaining promotion at the first attempt.

* Promotion last term saw their rapid rise complete and they compete this year in the top level of Brasilian football for the first time in their history.

* This season saw a decent State Championship campaign, and they have had a good cup run, reaching the quarter finals before bowing out.

* The one to watch this term is striker Pedrao who belies his 31 years and has scored three times in his five appearances so far.

* Due to their relative infancy in footballing terms there are no former players of any magnitude.

Botafogo

Full name: Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas
Founded: August 12, 1904 as Electro Club
City: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro)
Home ground: Engenhão, capacity 45,000
Nickname: Fogão, Estrela Solitária (The Lone Star), O Glorioso (The Glorious One)
League champions: 1995
Final table position 2008: 7th in Série A
Experts say: Relegation Battle

* Botafogo used to be the second biggest team in Brasil in the days before the “Brasilian League”.

* Nowadays they are Serie A regulars but live more in the shadows of their neighbours Fluminense and Flamengo.

* A normal season for the Fogao will be to struggle in the bottom four and look certain for relegation before pulling pulling away to a comfortable mid table finish.

* Three draws in the opening five games suggest this season will be no different.

* The one to watch is Victor Simoes, a local lad who started with Flamengo before plying his trade in Belgium and Korea before returning back to his roots.

* There just isn`t enough space to list the names of those who have graced the colours of Botafogo. The player Pele always said was far more gifted than him, Garrincha, played here.

* Older readers may well remember Jairzinho, Carlos Alberto, Gerson, and Valdo.

Corinthians

Full name: Sport Club Corinthians Paulista
Founded: September 1, 1910
City: São Paulo (São Paulo)
Home ground: Pacaembu, capacity 37,180
Nickname: Timão (Grand Team), Todo Poderoso (Almighty), Coringão
League champions: 1990, 1998, 1999, 2005
Final table position 2008: Série B champions (promoted)
Experts say: Top 4 finish

* Corinthians were headed towards oblivion during the relegation season of 2007.

* However, the arrival of a new President in Andres Sanchez saw much needed stability and 2008 saw them promoted as runaway champions of Serie B.

* One of the few teams not to play in their home stadium as the Parque Sao Jorges is considered to be too small and is used only for training sessions.

* Instead they use the Pacaembu or occasionally Sao Paulo`s Morumbi.

* This season has seen the Timao reach the Brasilian Cup final where they meet Inter in a 2 leg affair.

* The league campaign has started slowly due to players being rested before vital cup games, but much is expected by fans and media from July onwards.

* The one to watch is Ronaldo who is recovering from his serious injury and has started to show signs of his former glory.

* Alongside him is the 20 year old Dentinho who is certainly one to watch for the future, and at the back is Chicao who recently turned down a move to Benfica, and is a regular goalscorer.

* Famous names to have pulled on the Corinthians jersey are numerous. Socrates, Rivelino, Dida, Tevez, Mascherano, Deco, and a certain Dunga to name but a few.

Coritiba

Full name: Coritiba Foot Ball Club
Founded: October 12, 1909
City: Curitiba (Parana)
Home ground: Couto Pereira, capacity 37,160
Nickname: Coxa Branca (The White Thigh)
League champions: 1985
Final table position 2008: 9th in Série A
Experts say: Relegation Battle

* Coritiba returned to Serie A in 2007 and many tipped them to go straight back down again, but after a shaky start they strengthed as the season progressed and ended a creditable ninth.

* The club will be hoping to celebrate their centenary with a similar season and once again prove the pundits wrong, however, with no wins in the opening five games the future appears to be gloomy.

* The man to watch is definitely Marcelinho who has scored 4 times so far. He started his career in Santos and had successful spells with Marseille, Hertha Berlin and Wolfsburg before returning to his native Brasil.

* With no famous names of note the club is famous in Brasil for its mascot, an old man known as Grandpa Coxo.

Cruzeiro

Full name: Cruzeiro Esporte Clube
Founded: January 2, 1921 (as Palestra Itália)
City: Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais)
Home ground: Mineirão, capacity 72,000
Nickname: A Raposa (The Fox)
League champions: 2003
Final table position 2008: 3rd in Série A
Experts say: Top 4 finish

* Cruzeiro have never been outside of the top flight of Brasilian football and always start as one the title favourites and are regulars in the top 5.

* This season has seen them progress to the knock out stages of the Libertadores, and it is felt that this has led to a mediocre start to their league campaign.

* One to watch is undoubtedly the striker Kleber who has already notched up 2 goals in the league.

* He started his career in Sao Paulo before moving to Dynamo Kiev for 4 years, returning to Brasil and Cruzeiro although he spent last season on loan at Palmeiras scoring eight in 30 games.

* Some famous names to pull on the blue jersey are: Tostao, Sorin (of argentina) and a noteable manager in Felipao Scolari.

Flamengo

Full name: Clube de Regatas do Flamengo
Founded: November 15, 1895
City: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro)
Home ground: Maracanã, capacity 95,000
Nickname: Mengo, Mengão, O Mais Querido (The most loved)’, Urubu (Vulture), Rubro-Negro (The Scarlet-Black)
League champions: 1980, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1992
Final table position 2008: 5th in Série A
Experts say: Mid Table

* Flamengo started life as a rowing club, but following internal fighting at Fluminense a group of players turned up at Flamengo and the team was formed.

* They are ever presents in the Serie A always seeming to start slowly and then pushing their way to the top.

* The most popular club in Brasil they top the attendance records every year, and often achieve home gates in excess of 80,000.

* This season has seen a quiet start to the season and they sit in mid table.

* One to watch with interest will be Adriano who has returned from Inter of Italy to the club he started in an attempt to restart his career.

* Some former players include Romario and Zico who were linked by the press with QPR recently, and Julio Cesar, the current Brasil keeper.

Fluminense

Full name: Fluminense Football Club
Founded: July 21, 1902
City: Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro)
Home ground: Maracanã, capacity 95,000
Nickname: Tricolor carioca (Three Colors), Fluzão (Big Flu), Nense, Pó-de-Arroz, Máquina Tricolor ( Three Colored Machine)
League champions: 1984
Final table position 2008: 14th in Série A
Experts say: Mid Table

* Founded in 1902 by Oscar Cox, a Brasilian with English heritage Flamengo have frown to be one of the best supported club in Brasil with an estimated support around 2.5 million.

* The man to watch this season will be Fred, who was a prolific scorer with Cruzeiro before moving to Lyon.

* Despite 34 goals in 88 games he struggled to hold down a starting place and so at the start of this season joined Flu, and has started brightly.

* The experts predicted mid table for Flu this season and they have started quietly and seem set to prove the experts right.

* Famous former names include: Rivelino and Henry Welfare, an English teacher who played four games for Liverpool before moving to Brasil. At Flu he scored 163 goals in 166 games back in the early 1900’s.



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