What Happened in Brazilian Soccer Yesterday (Wednesday, August 20th, 2025)

Atlético-MG

• Atlético-MG faces Godoy Cruz in Mendoza, holding the advantage from the first leg and fighting for a spot in the Copa Sudamericana quarterfinals.

• Atlético-MG seeks to secure a quarterfinal spot in the Copa Sudamericana and increase the more than R$ 26 million already earned in prizes this season.

• Paulo Bracks explained Igor Rabello’s departure, Ruan Tressoldi’s recovery, and Vitão’s renewal, reinforcing confidence in Atlético-MG’s defense for the rest of the season.

Bahia

• Bahia 1 x 0 Ceará – Bahia’s home – Copa do Nordeste. With a goal by Tiago at the 48th minute of the second half, Bahia defeated Ceará 1–0 and secured a place in the Copa do Nordeste final against Confiança.

• Midfielder Rezende will leave Bahia to play for Fortaleza on loan until the end of 2025, at the request of coach Renato Paiva, with whom he has already worked and will likely play again as a defender.

• Bahia is close to announcing center-back Luiz Gustavo, 19, from Vasco, who already has five Série A matches in 2025; the deal is only pending signatures.

Botafogo

• Atlético-GO rejected Botafogo’s third offer of R$ 12 million for Alix Vinícius, demanding upfront payment while Botafogo insists on installments. Despite the setback, the Rio club remains interested in strengthening its defense.

• John Textor denied rumors about repurchasing Botafogo’s SAF and stated the club may remain in Eagle Football, criticizing external speculation. Meanwhile, the legal dispute continues, with Eagle seeking to limit its influence while the social club defends its leadership.

• Marçal highlighted that Botafogo’s biggest challenge against LDU in Quito will be psychological due to altitude. At 36 and playing improvised as a defender, he emphasized the need for mental preparation to secure a Libertadores quarterfinal spot.

Bragantino

• After a 1–1 draw in the first leg, Bragantino and Palmeiras will decide the Brasileirão U-20 title on Tuesday (26). Another draw will take the final to penalties.

Ceará

• Bahia 1 x 0 Ceará – Bahia’s home – Copa do Nordeste. Ceará was eliminated after a 1–0 loss to Bahia in stoppage time, with a decisive error by full-back Nicolas. The team exits the competition with R$ 4.8 million in prize money.

• Ceará announced that goalkeeper Fernando Miguel has started recovery after a knee injury and is close to returning, while Fernandinho remains in physiotherapy.

• Midfielder Vina has been cleared to play in the Brasileirão and is training with the squad, potentially debuting against Grêmio on Saturday (23).

Corinthians

• Midfielder José Martínez suffered a left-hand injury and will undergo surgery, becoming another absence for Corinthians.

• Goalkeeper Matheus Donelli remains with an undefined future; out of plans for over a month, he has yet to secure a move to another club.

• João Victor was sold to CSKA for €4 million, and Corinthians will receive around R$ 638,000 via FIFA’s solidarity mechanism for training him between ages 19–23.

Cruzeiro

• Cruzeiro begins preparations to face Internacional, with William back in training, Marquinhos recovering, suspended players returning, and high expectations for Luis Sinisterra’s debut.

• Cruzeiro is not interested in Krépin Diatta, remaining focused on announcing Luis Sinisterra and pursuing another forward.

• Luis Sinisterra, 26, arrived in Belo Horizonte to sign a loan contract with Cruzeiro until June 2026, strengthening the team’s struggling attack.

Flamengo

• Internacional 0 x 2 Flamengo – at Internacional’s home – Copa Libertadores. Flamengo grew stronger at the decisive moment, eliminated Internacional convincingly, and confirmed itself as a favorite for the 2025 Libertadores title.

• The quartet of Bruno Henrique, Arrascaeta, Filipe Luís, and Pedro led Flamengo’s qualification in the Libertadores, reaffirming the strength of the club’s veteran core.

• Filipe Luís celebrated the qualification, praised the team’s strength, and urged caution when comparing to Jorge Jesus’ era.

Fluminense

• With a contract until December and previously without space, defender Manoel regained a run of games due to injuries to Thiago Silva and Ignácio. Despite helping the team in tournaments, he is expected to return to the bench once starters recover and Igor Rabello arrives.

• Fluminense has yet to announce Igor Rabello because Atlético-MG delayed sending his release documents. The defender is already in Rio, has passed medicals, and awaits only official confirmation.

• Even with defensive absences, Fluminense remained unbeaten and advanced in tournaments. Thiago Silva has returned to training and may play against Bragantino, with priority being his full fitness for the Copa do Brasil quarterfinals against Bahia.

Fortaleza

• Fortaleza announced the signing of midfielder Pierre, 23, on loan from Tombense until December 2025, with a purchase option. He stood out for Volta Redonda in Série B, playing 31 matches and providing 4 assists.

• Fortaleza declined a €4.5 million (R$ 28m) offer from Olympiacos for 70% of Gustavo Mancha’s rights, valuing him at a minimum of €5.5 million (R$ 35m) and aiming to keep 20% for a future sale.

• Fortaleza is set to sign midfielder Rezende, 30, on loan from Bahia until the end of 2025, at Renato Paiva’s request. A permanent deal is possible at the end of the loan.

Grêmio

• Marcos Rocha is ready to debut, while Braithwaite recovers from pain. Midfield issues and suspensions raise doubts ahead of the match against Ceará.

• Grêmio looks to replicate against Ceará the offensive efficiency and defensive intensity that earned victory over Atlético-MG, after lessons from the loss to Sport.

• Grêmio is close to selling left-back Pedrinho to Shakhtar Donetsk for R$ 42 million, as the 18-year-old has limited chances under coach Mano Menezes.

Internacional

• Internacional 0 x 2 Flamengo – at Internacional’s home – Copa Libertadores. Internacional was eliminated after defensive and attacking mistakes, showing no clear solutions under coach Roger Machado.

• Roger Machado admitted Internacional’s poor form, acknowledged Flamengo’s superiority, and vowed to stay as long as the board supports him.

• To save the season, Internacional must aim for a Copa Libertadores berth, maintain collective focus, and use the Cruzeiro match as a turning point.

Juventude

• Juventude 2 x 0 Vasco – at Juventude’s home – Brasileirão Série A. Coach Thiago Carpini celebrated the win, highlighting tactical growth, collective commitment, and Nenê’s leadership. The victory builds confidence and cuts the gap to safety to just one point.

• Juventude arranged a loan move for goalkeeper Gustavo to América-MG after signing Gastón Guruceaga and Jandrei. Gustavo had lost space in the squad and was not being included in matchday lists.

Mirassol

• Mirassol has a 100% record at Arena Castelão with two wins over Ceará and will face Fortaleza at the stadium for the first time this Sunday at 18:30, but will be without injured Gabriel.

Palmeiras

• Flaco López is in great form in 2025, leading Palmeiras’ scoring charts with 15 goals, standing out for efficiency and work rate.

• Palmeiras ruled out Andreas Pereira, Marcel Ruiz, and Wendel as midfield signings, focusing instead on financially viable alternatives.

• Luis Benedetti, a 19-year-old center-back, has drawn interest from Arsenal, Napoli, and Barcelona, though no official offers have been made.

Santos

• The “Meninos da Vila” remain unbeaten in the Copa Buh U-15 after an 8–0 win over MESC/MB10, advancing to the quarterfinals with 23 goals scored in the campaign.

• Santos agreed personal terms with coach Vojvoda and is close to announcing him after dropping negotiations with Sampaoli.

• Vojvoda will be announced as Santos’ new coach this Thursday and will debut on August 31 against Fluminense at Vila Belmiro.

São Paulo

• A leaked message about a loan proposal revealed internal tensions between Morumbi and Barra Funda, deepening political and financial disputes at São Paulo.

• São Paulo approved a R$ 50 million loan with Banco Daycoval to face its financial crisis and cover deficits after a drop in transfer revenue.

• São Paulo advanced to the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals, earning an additional US$ 1.7 million, totaling R$ 40.9 million in prize money from the competition.

Sport Recife

• The medical staff expects Sergio Oliveira to be available in 10 days, potentially reinforcing Sport against Vasco in the 22nd round.

• Sport loaned center-back Matheus Baraka, 22, to Vitória das Tabocas until November. He had played 24 matches for Águia de Marabá before returning.

• Sport defeated Cruzeiro-PB 2–1, securing a spot in the Copa do Nordeste U-20 quarterfinals, where they will face Ceará.

Vasco

• Juventude 2 x 0 Vasco – at Juventude’s home – Brasileirão Série A. Coach Fernando Diniz criticized Vasco’s lack of focus, lamented the early goal conceded, and urged the team to learn from the defeat.

• Vasco advanced negotiations to sign Robert Renan, defender from Zenit and former Internacional and Corinthians player, on loan with purchase option. Seen as ready to start, he fits Fernando Diniz’s style.

• Vasco finalized the sale of 70% of Luiz Gustavo’s rights to Bahia for €5 million (R$ 32m), keeping a percentage for future profit. The departure of the reserve player will give the club financial relief to reinforce the defense.

Vitória

• After a 2–1 win over Americano-MA, Vitória secured a spot in the Copa do Nordeste U-20 quarterfinals.

• Renato Kayzer is enjoying a great spell at Vitória, with 7 goals in 13 matches, responsible for 39% of the team’s goals. He ranks as the 3rd most decisive player in the Brasileirão, behind only Kaio Jorge and Pablo Vegetti.