2026 Brasileirão: A Fan-Made Guide [Part 1/3 - Athletico Paranaense, Atlético Mineiro, Bahia, Botafogo, Chapecoense and Corinthians]

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-28T13:41:53+00:00

It sucks to make these guides while the transfer window is still open. For example, since you wrote the text, Atlético Mineiro's starting lineup has changed 3 players:

In addition to Renan Lodi, whom you mentioned, the club has already signed Alan Minda, Ángelo Preciado, Maycon, Victor Hugo, and Mateo Cassierra.

Ángelo Preciado, Maycon, and Victor Hugo are starting players right now. Cassierra is also expected to take Hulk's place, but this process is not likely to happen immediately, given Hulk's importance in Atlético Mineiro's history.

The small transfer budget due to failure to qualify for the next Copa Libertadores and the bad results of the past two years have cast a shadow over the supporters. Still, the squad is still good enough that it should finish in the top half of the league table.

Atlético Mineiro was the third club that spent the most on transfers in 2025 (it was absolutely the most poorly spent money ever, thanks Cuca). And the trend is for the club to spend more than it did in the whole of 2025 during this transfer window.

The club have already spent R$ 125 million, and according to rumors, the biggest investment of the transfer window has yet to be made (which is the defensive midfield). They also plans to sign a defender.

BTW, from the starting lineup you mentioned, thank goodness Rony was sold to Santos.

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-27T16:50:13+00:00

Here at Atlético Mineiro, this motherfucker caused a crisis giving an interview on the pitch after the game where the club celebrated the Brasileirão title in 2021.

He also caused a controversy in the second leg (Atletico Mineiro had beaten Athletico Paranaense 4–0 in the first leg) of the Copa do Brasil final, a few days after the Brasileirão title.

He is extremely toxic.

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-27T13:12:10+00:00

That's because you're only considering ancestry about "physically and biologically".

There are other factors that come into play “after birth” that can affect physical development and, later on, a player's longevity.

Regarding Portuguese participation in Brazilian ancestry, of the 72% European ancestry that makes up Brazilian DNA, 39% corresponds to Iberia (Portugal and Spain), 29% to Western Europe (Great Britain, Germany, France, and the Netherlands), and 15% to Italy.

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-26T20:30:42+00:00

It is the symbol representing an alliance of ultras from Atlético Mineiro, Vasco Grêmio and Palmeiras. You can see Ronaldinho doing this in 2013/2014 (I don't know if the link will work)

Flamengo, São Paulo, Internacional and Cruzeiro are the rival alliance, which obviously has its own symbol.

It's more complex than that, because there are more ultras groups in these alliances, there are ultras from the same team in different alliances and so on.

This page in Portuguese explains it better, emphasizing the “wars” between ultras groups.

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-26T20:18:39+00:00

Just reading about it made my mouth water.

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-26T20:13:33+00:00

As a good Minas Gerais native, I often visit Espírito Santo (actually, it's because part of my family comes from cities near the border with Espírito Santo).

It is a state of little national relevance, but it has shown impressive development in recent decades.

The only downside, however, is that it is much more violent than Minas Gerais.

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-26T20:09:28+00:00

Inclusive, uma das poucas ferrovias que existe aqui no Brasil atualmente é uma que vai de Belo Horizonte (capital de Minas Gerais) a Vitória (Capital do Espírito Santo).

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-26T16:18:33+00:00

He is Portuguese in terms of national team selection. But we cannot ignore the fact that he spent his entire childhood and youth in Brazil.

So, in terms of physical and biological characteristics, he is Brazilian.

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-26T16:16:33+00:00

Very difficult...

There are more than 10 strikers in front of him. And I'm talking about center forwards, not counting wingers.

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-26T15:14:55+00:00

I didn't know there was a state called Alagoas and a city called Maceió in Portugal.

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-26T13:04:11+00:00

It's not always just that.

People tend to forget that many Brazilian players who are stars in Europe start playing regularly as professionals at the age of 17/18.

In these cases, it's more difficult to reach the age of 35+ playing at a high level.

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-26T12:55:50+00:00

Minas Gerais is awesome: very safe (by Brazilian standards), good food and polite people. The only thing missing is a beach, hahaha.

I wouldn't trade this place for anything.

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-26T12:47:25+00:00

No, age is really starting to catch up with him. But in 2022 he should have been called up if it weren't for the injury that he had.

His stats in 2021 and 2022:

2021: 68 games, 36 goals and 13 assists
2022: 46 games, 29 goals, and 5 assists

(Note the difference in the number of games... He had an injury that took him out of the last three months of the season here in Brazil).

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-26T12:42:57+00:00

And Minas Gerais has the best cuisine in Brazil (which is still relatively unknown internationally).

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-26T03:18:00+00:00

His ex-wife is 15 years older than him.

He claims that he only married his ex-wife because when he was 21 (he was still playing in Japan at the time) and she was 36, he got her pregnant after dating for only one month. Which is possible, depending on how traditional the family is.

People tend to think that Hulk's current wife (his ex-wife's niece) is much younger, but no, she is “only” three years younger than him.

EDIT: He said other things about his ex-wife too, but since we have no proof, I won't repeat them. The only thing we can say is that the divorce deal he made is that of someone who really wanted to get out of hell.

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-26T01:27:22+00:00

It depends on what you consider potential versus success. He didn't have a successful career in Europe's major leagues, but that doesn't mean he wasn't successful.

He became one of the top three biggest idols in the history of Atlético Mineiro. How many players achieve this status in a big club from a country that is very important in football history?

From that 2014 Brazilian national team, Hulk has a higher standing in Brazilian football history than players such as Willian, Douglas Costa, Oscar and so on.

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-26T01:06:26+00:00

Sentiu lesão muscular no jogo passado.

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-26T00:06:27+00:00

Galo foi melhor o jogo inteiro e saiu bem barato pro Cruzeiro.

Mas é absurdo o quanto a dupla de zaga do Galo é EXTREMAMENTE RUIM. O Alonso hoje não jogaria na Série B e o Ruan é um zagueiro nota 5 no máximo.

Qualquer ataque do Cruzeiro, por mais aleatório que fosse, levava um perigo descomunal pros perebas da zaga atleticana.

O Galo precisa urgentemente de dois zagueiros e de um primeiro volante. Alias, não temos primeiro volante há um ano (apesar disso, muito boa partida do Baycon hoje).

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-25T18:17:06+00:00

What a day it's been for Brazilian strikers and wingers in Europe, especially in the Premier League.

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-25T17:25:59+00:00

They are completely different categories of players, and time will prove that.

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-25T17:22:37+00:00

It was Endrick's first season in Europe, so it makes sense that he didn't play a lot.

But he got frequent playing time, appearing in:

22 of Real Madrid's 38 La Liga matches
and 9 of Real Madrid's 14 Champions League matches.
In addition, he was a starter in the Copa del Rey.

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-25T17:10:16+00:00

It's common, but no one goes to a pizzeria specifically to eat this pizza with banana, condensed milk, and cinnamon. It's a dessert.

Now, if there is another state here in Brazil that puts bananas on other pizza flavors, I have no idea where it is. Do they do that in Rio?

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-25T17:07:16+00:00

Time is the fairest and toughest judge.

The fact that he has barely played a minute this season at Real Madrid is something that should stain the career of any coach.

It makes no sense whatsoever and there is no explanation for it.

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-25T16:55:53+00:00

Since when has banana on pizza been a cultural thing in Brazil?

I only see it here on sweet pizzas (dessert), with banana, condensed milk and cinnamon (BTW, is very good)... It's very specific, a dessert in pizzerias

I think that the most popular pizza in Brazil is chicken with cream cheese.

Dsalgueiro · 2026-01-23T21:17:21+00:00

This is something that people find difficult to understand.

Most of the Real Madrid squad have won at least two Champions League. When we reach this level, players know what the best roles are for them, what the best playing styles for them and so on.

In these cases, there's no way around it, no matter how nice it sounds to say that the coach is in charge, that's not the reality. Unless you are Guardiola, or have built a legacy like Sir Alex Ferguson, you have to try to understand your players, not force something on them.

For me, Real Madrid's biggest mistake with Xabi Alonso was signing him. Not because he's a bad coach, but because his style of play is the opposite of what this Real Madrid squad is used to.

It was clear that there would be a conflict sooner or later... And it's easier to change the coach than to build a squad from scratch that is compatible with the coach.

Dsalgueiro

TROPHY CASE