The Palmeiras team took a giant step towards their twelfth Brazilian league title, the second in a row, on Sunday, beating Fluminense 1-0 on the penultimate day, while Dimitri Payet’s Vasco da Gama remains threatened with relegation.
Thanks to a goal from striker Breno Lopes in the thirtieth minute of play, Palmeiras practically killed all suspense at the end of the championship, maintaining a three-point lead over their two main pursuers, with a largely favorable goal difference.
Also readFoot: “Coming back to the Vélodrome or playing against OM, I don’t think it would have been possible,” says Payet
The team founded by the Italian community of Sao Paulo has 69 points (31 goal difference), three more than Atlético Mineiro (66 points, 23) and Flamengo (66 points, 15).
On Wednesday, Palmeiras can therefore be officially crowned against the fifteenth Cruzeiro, which has just ensured its maintenance.
A new consecration in sight for the Portuguese technician Abel Ferreira, who has already won four major titles with Verdao, the Copa Libertadores in 2020 and 2021, the championship in 2022 and the Brazilian Cup in 2020.
Botafogo, who had a 13-point lead after the first legs before collapsing in the final stretch, are definitely out of the race for the title, after their goalless draw at home against Cruzeiro.
A cruel disappointment for the Rio de Janeiro club, which fell to fifth position, outside the direct qualification zone for the Copa Libertadores.
This penultimate day was also rich in emotions at the bottom of the table.
Vasco da Gama, whom French international Dimitri Payet joined in August, is far from out of the woods.
Defeated 1-0 by Gremio in Porto Alegre, the Rio club is only a small point ahead of the first relegation place, Bahia, which also lost on Sunday, against the red lantern América Mineiro (3-2) .
Gremio’s goal was scored by Uruguayan star Luis Suarez, who bid farewell to the fans of the southern Brazilian club, with whom he was playing his last home match.
Another monument of Brazilian football, Santos, also remains at risk of relegation, after being crushed 3-0 by Athletico Paranaense.
The team where “King Pelé” shined, who died a little less than a year ago, is two points ahead of Bahia, and will have to win on Wednesday against the tenth Fortaleza to remain master of its destiny.
Vasco will have a lot to do against the sixth Bragantino, just like Bahia against Atlético Mineiro, runner-up to Palmeiras.
