What Happened in Brazilian Soccer Yesterday (Monday, October 20th, 2025)

Atlético-MG

• Independiente del Valle and Atlético-MG face each other this Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. in Quito, for the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana semifinal.

• Hulk denied rumors about leaving the club and stated he intends to fulfill his contract until 2026. Atlético-MG confirmed there were no talks about a termination and reaffirmed its respect for the idol.

• Atlético-MG seeks its first-ever win in Ecuador and aims to complete victories in all CONMEBOL countries as they face Independiente del Valle in the semifinal.

Bahia

• Bahia will have only one training session before facing Internacional on Wednesday (22) at Fonte Nova. Afterward, they’ll train Thursday and Friday before visiting São Paulo on Saturday (25) for the Brasileirão.

Botafogo

• Jordan Barrera returned to Botafogo highly valued after standing out at the U-20 World Cup, helping Colombia finish 3rd and being listed among the tournament’s top 20 players. The club is assessing his thigh injury and expects to use him more in the season’s final stretch.

• Botafogo kept a clean sheet for the first time in a month in the 2–0 win over Ceará, with solid defensive performances despite absences. Marçal, Vitinho, David Ricardo, and Newton stood out, and Davide Ancelotti expects Barboza back against Santos.

• Santi Rodríguez gained prominence under Davide Ancelotti, scoring twice and providing four assists — the second-highest goal contribution in the coach’s era. He assisted Chris Ramos’s opener against Ceará.

Bragantino

• Juventude 1 x 0 Bragantino – Juventude Stadium – Brasileirão – Highlights.

• Red Bull Bragantino coach Fernando Seabra called the 1–0 loss to Juventude the team’s worst performance in the league, citing a lack of aggression and an ineffective first half.

Ceará

• Ceará will face Atlético-MG without Lourenço and Pedro Henrique (suspended) and possibly Marcos Victor (heel injury). Dieguinho, in transition, could return on Saturday (25) at Arena MRV.

• Coach Léo Condé defended Pedro Raul’s effort despite his goal drought, explained Lucca’s absence as a tactical decision, and criticized refereeing standards, claiming officials “are under pressure and missing simple calls.”

Corinthians

• Corinthians received reinforcements with André Ramalho (31, defender) and Carrillo (33, midfielder) returning from injury, while André Luiz (ankle sprain) and Vitinho (knee surgery) joined the medical department.

• The club is finalizing an agreement with Erasmo Damiani, former Atlético-MG and Brazil Olympic team executive, to lead youth development reforms after Alex Brasil’s departure.

• Corinthians paid the second R$7 million installment of its CNRD plan, including R$788,000 to Cuiabá (Raniele case), and awaits the lift of a transfer ban. The club still owes R$40 million to Santos Laguna (Félix Torres) and R$41.3 million to Matías Rojas by November.

Cruzeiro

• Kaiki, Cruzeiro’s rising star and European target, partnered with CAA Stellar — the agency representing Camavinga and Cole Palmer — aiming for a future European move.

• Cruzeiro implements a structured scouting process combining technical analysis, personal profile, “shadow team,” and coordination between scouts, coaching staff, and management.

• Borussia Dortmund scouted 17-year-old left-back Kauã Prates during a match at Mineirão. The player, under contract until 2027, has a €60 million release clause.

Flamengo

• Tickets for Flamengo vs. Racing in the Copa Libertadores semifinal are sold out, with a packed Maracanã expected on Wednesday at 9:30 p.m.

• Léo Ortiz accelerates recovery from an ankle strain to be available for the Libertadores semifinal.

• Samuel Lino has gone 10 matches without scoring and faces growing competition in the attack, with Carrascal gaining space on the left flank.

Fluminense

• Vasco 2 x 0 Fluminense – Fluminense Stadium – Brasileirão Série A – Highlights.

• Despite Zubeldía’s leadership, Fluminense continues to struggle offensively: Cano, John Kennedy, and Everaldo have few goals in recent games. The coach defended Cano, arguing that the lack of goals is a collective issue rather than an individual one.

• After the 2–0 loss to Vasco, Zubeldía stated that the defeat would not affect Fluminense’s Copa do Brasil semifinal preparation, praising the team’s performance and downplaying the setback.

Fortaleza

• After six months injured, Moisés returned under a monitored plan limiting his minutes. He played 24 and 31 minutes in the last two games, with daily evaluations to prevent relapse.

• Fortaleza’s forwards have scored just 14 goals in 28 games (0.5 average) — the club’s worst attacking record in the 21st century. Breno Lopes leads with 4 goals, followed by Deyverson and Lucero (3 each).

Grêmio

• After a 4–0 defeat to Bahia, Grêmio focuses on regaining confidence ahead of facing Juventude in the next Brasileirão round.

• The club expects the return of injured and suspended players, while Marcos Rocha will be re-evaluated before the Juventude match.

Internacional

• Borré ended a two-month goal drought with a strike against Sport, regaining confidence under Ramón and Emiliano Díaz, and aims to reclaim his starring role at Inter.

• Inter will miss Carbonero and Emiliano Díaz (suspension) and may also lose Thiago Maia (doubt) and Alan Rodríguez (injured) against Bahia.

• Goalkeeper Ivan returned as a starter after 637 days, thanked teammates for support, and praised his professional dialogue with Anthoni.

Juventude

• Juventude 1 x 0 RB Bragantino – Juventude Stadium – Brasileirão Série A – Highlights.

• Juventude ended a seven-match winless streak with a 1–0 victory over Bragantino, thanks to Daniel Peixoto’s goal. Coach Carpini emphasized that the result boosts the team’s confidence in the fight against relegation.

Mirassol

• Mirassol has kept the same main sponsor, Poty, for 18 years, earning just R$750,000 per month — far less than Brazil’s major clubs. Still, the club values loyalty and plans to raise annual revenue to R$20 million with strong Série A performance and international opportunities.

• Mirassol crushed São Paulo 3–0 (5–0 aggregate), staying unbeaten at home and fighting for a direct Libertadores 2026 spot. They are the best Série A debutant in the points-era history.

Palmeiras

• Defender Gustavo Gómez (31) was ranked the world’s 9th-best aerial defender by CIES, scoring 92.0 and standing alongside stars like Van Dijk and Otamendi.

• Palmeiras began preparations for the Libertadores semifinal against LDU, with goalkeeper Weverton (36) still in recovery. Training was split between recovery and tactical sessions with U-20 players after a loss to Flamengo.

• Palmeiras U-20 drew 2–2 with Santos in the Paulista semifinal, with two goals from Erick Belé. The team leads with 18 wins, 2 draws, 2 losses (76 GF, 14 GA), and aims for its 14th state title at home.

Santos

• Santos 0 x 1 Vitória – Santos Stadium – Brasileirão – Highlights.

• Midfielder Zé Rafael (31) is suspended (third yellow card) against Botafogo, while João Schmidt returns.

• Santos lost 1–0 to Vitória at Vila Belmiro, staying out of the relegation zone only by goal difference (both with 31 pts). Goalkeeper Gabriel Brazão’s penalty error and the ineffective attack were key negatives.

• Left-back Kauã Miranda (15) was called up by Portugal U-16 for a tournament in Turkey. Born in Almada, he has 47 games and 2 goals for Santos’ academy and is under contract until 2027.

São Paulo

• João Vítor Bispo (16), São Paulo’s right-back, signed his first professional contract after joining the club in 2022, currently playing for the U-17s.

• São Paulo, currently 8th in the league with 38 points (10W, 8D, 11L), increased international qualification bonuses and plans to settle debts by year-end using extra revenues and awards.

• São Paulo signed midfielder Dudu (16) from Náutico for R$800,000 in four installments; Náutico retains 20% of the player’s rights. He will join after the 2026 Copinha.

Sport Recife

• Lukas Zuccarello, Vasco’s rising star and Barcelona target, could yield profits to Sport, which retained 45% of his rights after his 2022 transfer. The club also set a higher fee for any future purchase.

• Sport’s council rejected the impeachment request against president Yuri Romão, citing signature discrepancies. The opposition group Leões pela Mudança plans to appeal and submit additional documentation.

Vasco

• Vasco 2 x 0 Fluminense – Fluminense Stadium – Brasileirão Série A – Highlights.

• Vasco beat Fluminense 2–0 at Maracanã, dominating the derby and solidifying its comeback under Fernando Diniz. With five wins in six matches, the team reached the top 8 and strengthened its Libertadores hopes.

• Nineteen-year-old Rayan starred again with a goal and an assist, reaching 16 goals this season and 11 in the Brasileirão. Diniz, Coutinho, and Nuno Moreira praised him as a “gem” and called for his Brazil call-up.

]Vitória

• Santos 0 x 1 Vitória – Santos Stadium – Brasileirão Série A – Highlights.

• Vitória beat Santos 1–0 at Vila Belmiro, earning its first away win in Série A and tying the rival in points. Matheuzinho scored from the spot, and Jair Ventura’s side stays alive in the relegation fight.

• Midfielder Rúben Ismael underwent knee surgery for an ACL tear and is out for the rest of 2025; he had recently returned from a meniscus injury.

• Right-back Raúl Cáceres, key with two goals in his last three matches, is suspended and will miss the Corinthians clash. Ventura may choose Maykon Jesus, Paulo Roberto, or Edu as his replacement.