What a season Brasileirao 2008 is. Six rounds to go, after 32 games, two clubs are tied topping the league with 59 points (Gremio and back-to-back title holder Sao Paulo). Two other clubs, Cruzeiro and Palmeiras (both with Italian background) are in the Libertadores qualifying zone with 58. And we still have Flamengo, most popular club in the country, with 56 chasing the leaders.

Sao Paulo is in its way up. They were not between the top four a couple of rounds ago but it is notorious their power near the end of the season since Brasileirao is not played with Playoffs finals, but only regular season (they won two out of five and qualified for every Libertadores since then).

But if I had to put some money, I would say Cruzeiro is strong enough to beat Sao Paulo this time. They have a very good and well coached team, everybody knows exactly what they have to do on the field. In the field, they have everything Sao Paulo has and a plus. Three in fact. They have three very  good players. Players that are probably doing their farewell season in Brazil.

Wagner is the brain. A spectacular midfielder that reads the game and always find the best option. Ramires is the lung. He runs like Usain Bolt and is everywhere. He is a defensive midfielder but got the talent and the skill to run with the ball and pass it. Finally, they have Guilherme. Fast and furious Aguero-Romario style. Kind of player born to score and do the difference in small areas.

I don`t believe Palmeiras, Gremio and Flamengo got a chance to win. But they are three of the most winners in the whole history of Brazil and South-America. Together they have two Fifa World Championship, four Libertadores ands more than ten Brasileirao titles.

I have a clue. But I would never guess.

Gremio tied away against Atletico Paranaense, Palmeiras beat Vasco da Gama 2 x 0 and now Brasileirao, after 2/3 of the leader and vice are just one point apart from each other. Gremio completes three games without winning and saw its huge advantage down to just one point.

But with 12 rounds to play, everything can be even more dramatic next week. The three first in the table will play away. Sao Paulo (5th) x Cruzeiro (3th).

Gremio will play the derby against Internacional at Beira Rio Inter Stadium. Palmeiras will fly the northeast to face Nautico, a club still threaten by relegation.

Flamengo, that came back to the G4 group, will also play home against Sport. At last, Botafogo plays home too, against Fluminense. If every home team wins, Brasileirao would enter the last 11 games with just 5 points between the leader and sixth place.

Complete table and standings for Brasileirao 2008

What a show Riquelme performed last night here in Brazil. Gremio had to win by 3 goals to take the game to Penalty kicks in the second leg of the great final of Copa Libertadores between Gremio and Boca Jrs.

In the first half, Gremio had probably their only chance when a Diego Souza hit the bar. After that, Boca Jrs and Riquelme dominated all the actions and the final result was Boca 2 x 0 Gremio. It could have been three, but Palermo, as usual, missed a penalty kick.

The penalty, by the way, was suffered by Riquelme, the man of the night, who had scored both goals for Boca, including an amazing shoot to open the score.

Riquelme now is expected to join Argentina for the Copa America (final list from Basile will be issued today) and also go back to Europe, althought there is already a big comotion in Buenos Aires to try to keep the player one more season or at least until the Fifa Club World Champions in December in Japan where the team could meet AC Milan in the great final.

- O Kleber matou duas vezes no peito antes de colocar magistralmente a bola no ângulo contrário do chute. Gol clássico.

- A estrela de Dagoberto, que em 45 minutos, não consegui jogar tudo o que pode, mas levantou a toricda com uma pedalada, fez um golaço corretamente anulado por milímetros de impedimento e, melhor, foi decisivo com a assistência do gol da vitória.

- Kaká colocando Cristiano Ronaldo no bolso, correndo 10 km em campo molhado, fazendo golaço de canhota e, finalmente, não vendo ninguém a sua frente na briga pelo título de melhor jogador do mundo da temporada.

- Mas acho que nada supera Sessa, o tosco goleiro do Velez, que protagonizou um lance que nem Fabio Costa no auge poderia reproduzir. Quem não viu, é só procurar por aí.