What Happened in Brazilian Soccer Yesterday (Thursday, August 28th, 2025)

Atlético-MG

• Atlético-MG fans harshly criticize Júnior Alonso after his mistake in the second goal of the 2-0 defeat to Cruzeiro in the Copa do Brasil.

• Cuca’s departure from Atlético-MG is seen as certain after the defeat to Cruzeiro, due to internal wear, poor performances, and controversial statements; the board is expected to make it official soon and is already evaluating names like Sampaoli, Pedro Caixinha, and Zubeldía as possible replacements.

Bahia

• Bahia defeated Fluminense 1-0 at Arena Fonte Nova, with a late goal by Luciano Juba, and gained an advantage in the Copa do Brasil quarterfinals. Bahia plays for a draw at Maracanã, while Fluminense must win by two goals to advance.

• After the decisive goal against Fluminense, Rogério Ceni praised Luciano Juba and expressed confidence that the left-back will be called up to the national team in 2025. The coach highlighted the player’s growth but said the Copa do Brasil advantage is small given the opponent’s strength.

• Bahia counted on the returns of Erick Pulga and the new signings João Paulo and Mateo Sanabria for the first leg against Fluminense. The only absence among the new players was Luiz Gustavo, who could not play since he had already appeared in the competition for Vasco.

Botafogo

• Botafogo loaned 19-year-old striker Kayke to Fortaleza, at the request of coach Renato Paiva. The arrival of Chris Ramos reduced his space in the squad, and the club sees this move as a way to give him experience and increase his market value.

• Since Gregore’s departure, Botafogo has alternated between Marlon Freitas and Danilo as defensive midfielder, but Davide Ancelotti has not yet found the ideal replacement. The coach cites lack of training time and demands improvements in marking and midfield transitions.

• Arthur Cabral has established himself as Botafogo’s offensive reference, with four goals and two assists in his last five games under Ancelotti. He stands out as a fixed presence in the box and the team’s main goal contributor.

Ceará

• Nicolas is expected to start for Ceará against Juventude, as Matheus Bahia remains injured and Rafael Ramos also picked up an injury in training.

• Attacking midfielder Vina, 34, is set to debut for Ceará this Saturday (30) against Juventude. Recently added to the squad by coach Léo Condé, he should begin on the bench.

• Galeano stressed the importance of the clash with Juventude and praised Ceará’s reinforcements, especially Vina, highlighting the experience they bring to the group. The match, part of the 22nd round of Série A, will be held this Saturday (30) at Arena Castelão with over 25,000 fans confirmed.

Corinthians

• Matheuzinho left the game with thigh pain and could miss the Derby, opening opportunities for improvisations or youth players.

• Corinthians finalized the renewal of Gustavo Henrique’s contract for two more seasons, extending it until the end of 2027.

• Corinthians could earn around R$ 71.5 million from Pedro’s transfer to Al-Ittihad, thanks to the 30% stake it still holds and FIFA’s solidarity mechanism.

Cruzeiro

• Leonardo Jardim projects Sinisterra’s debut for Cruzeiro against São Paulo but warns that the forward must prove himself on the pitch to secure a starting spot.

• Cruzeiro set a historic record with 90,000 members, closing in on its 100,000 target, while enjoying a strong run in both the Brasileirão and Copa do Brasil.

• Cruzeiro assistant coach Diogo Dias responded to Cuca after the derby with irony: “Luck only comes before work in the dictionary.”

Flamengo

• Flamengo announces sold-out tickets for more than 60,000 fans at Maracanã against Grêmio in the Brasileirão.

• Injured, Alex Sandro is out for Flamengo, opening competition between Ayrton Lucas and Viña for the starting left-back position.

• Flamengo released goalkeeper Lucas Furtado to Vitória de Guimarães, retaining 50% of his economic rights after not renewing his contract.

Fluminense

• Renato Gaúcho stated that Fluminense was better than Bahia but lost 1-0 due to lack of concentration on the conceded goal. He demanded more focus and stressed that the team still has 90 minutes at Maracanã to overturn the result.

• Samuel Xavier left the game against Bahia with left thigh pain after 11 minutes and will undergo medical evaluation. Renato Gaúcho is concerned about losing the full-back for upcoming matches.

• Fluminense president Mário Bittencourt announced that the club will not make further signings in this window, closing with the arrivals of John Kennedy, Lucho Acosta, Santiago Moreno, and Igor Rabello. The decision came after the recovery of injured defenders and strong performances from young players like Davi Schuindt.

Fortaleza

• Fortaleza will not have Marinho against Internacional, as the forward is suspended after receiving his third yellow card. He has played 33 games and scored four goals this season.

• Fortaleza signed defender Lucas Gazal, formerly of Atlético-GO, on loan until the end of the season with a purchase option. He arrives from Shandong Taisan, China, and will join the squad next Monday (1).

• Fortaleza signed 19-year-old striker Kayke on loan from Botafogo until the end of the season, at the request of coach Renato Paiva, who previously worked with him at the Rio club.

Grêmio

• Marcelo Marques withdrew from running for Grêmio’s presidency due to internal political pressures and criticism over including current management members in his campaign.

• Grêmio is looking for defensive reinforcements after Balbuena’s injury and may rely on Gustavo Martins or makeshift solutions until the Paraguayan returns.

• Arthur is not expected to play against Flamengo; Grêmio plans his debut against Mirassol on September 14, after registration with the CBF.

Internacional

• Roger Machado faces doubts at Internacional when choosing his midfield against Fortaleza, with Bruno Tabata at risk and Carbonero as an option.

• Tension rises at Internacional after the defeat to Cruzeiro, with locker room arguments, fan pressure, and increased scrutiny on coach Roger Machado.

• A fight between Wesley and Bernabei after the loss revealed personal tensions and a crisis within Internacional’s squad.

Juventude

• Argentine midfielder, 23, joins Juventude until the end of the season, having previously played for Newell’s Old Boys and Vasco. He trained with the team for the first time this Thursday.

• Goalkeeper Jandrei has secured his spot as Juventude’s starter, playing three games and helping the team in its fight against relegation. He praised his relationship with coach Thiago Carpini as key to his adaptation.

Mirassol

• Midfielder Yago Felipe, on loan from Bahia, will miss Mirassol’s match against his parent club in the 22nd round of the Brasileirão due to contractual restrictions. He has played 13 matches and provided one assist for the team, currently in 6th place in the standings.

Palmeiras

• Palmeiras plans to extend Flaco López’s contract, the team’s top scorer in 2025 with 17 goals, to increase his value amid external interest.

• Flaco López, top scorer of Palmeiras in 2025 with 17 goals, was called up by Lionel Scaloni for Argentina’s national team in the World Cup Qualifiers.

• Midfielder Larson, developed in Palmeiras’ academy, is set to be permanently signed after his loan to Goiás for around R$ 4 million (50% rights), to join Abel Ferreira’s senior squad in 2026.

Santos

• Santos finalized the signing of Argentine defender Adonís Frías from León-MEX for US$ 4 million (around R$ 21.6 million).

• The sale of Weslley Patati to AZ Alkmaar will bring Santos over R$ 15 million through profit and FIFA solidarity mechanisms.

• Santos offered US$ 5.5 million (around R$ 30 million) for midfielder Rômulo, a starter at Tigres-MEX.

São Paulo

• São Paulo is negotiating the loan of striker Marcelo Ryan from FC Tokyo to replace the injured André Silva.

• São Paulo signed 19-year-old midfielder Kaio Santos, formerly of Botafogo, to reinforce its U-20 squad.

• Forward Juan was permanently sold to Turkish club Göztepe for €900,000 (R$ 5.4 million).

Sport Recife

• Sport needs 26 points in the next 19 games (45.6% success rate) to reach the projected 36 points and avoid relegation. The club has only achieved this performance three times in the points era: 2008, 2014, and 2015.

• Lucas Lima suffered an ankle sprain and is doubtful for Sport’s match against Vasco, while Rafael Thyere is expected to play despite a facial injury. Sport remains bottom of Série A with 10 points and still seeks its first home win.

• Sport rejected offers from Al-Jazira for Rodrigo Atencio and ended negotiations, keeping the Argentine midfielder in the squad. Signed in 2025 for about R$ 12 million, he has 18 appearances, three goals, and one assist this season.

Vasco

• Cauan Barros was a standout in the draw against Botafogo, leading in tackles and earning praise from Fernando Diniz, who sees him as a key reinforcement for midfield. Alongside Jair, he formed a solid duo and is expected to start again versus Sport.

• Vasco officially abandoned the signing of Nathan Silva after a financial impasse with Pumas, who rejected the US$ 5.2 million offer.

• Vasco accepted Alverca’s (Portugal) offer to buy 60% of Lucas Figueiredo’s rights, with the player also agreeing. The deal now depends on América-MG, which has priority to match the bid during the loan.

Vitória

• Midfielder Daniel Jr left Vitória for free to Nacional (Madeira Island), with the club retaining 50% of his rights for a future sale. Signed in 2024 for R$ 2.5 million, he played 12 games and scored 3 goals.

• Vitória defeated CRB 3-1 at Barradão and advanced to the Copa do Nordeste U-20 semifinals. They will now face Bahia in the classic, while Fortaleza plays Ceará in the other bracket.

• Matheuzinho and Baralhas returned to training and are available for the match against Atlético-MG, while Cáceres is expected to be included after recovery. Camutanga was also reinstated and awaits registration to debut.