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.

This Saturday the National Brazilian League, Brasileirão, kicks off.

Of course our best players are in Europe.

Certainly our managers suck.

Definitely our fans are not really well treated.

But nowhere else in the world a championship is so difficult to win.

2007 Brasileirão, like every year, starts with, at least, 12 teams with real chances to win it.

I am not talking surprising results. I am talking about major and favorite teams.

It is not by accident that in 37 years in the so called Brasileirão, 17 teams were already Champions.

The greatest winner, Flamengo, have only 5 titles, the same number Real Madrid can have in a single decade in the Spanish League.

In 2007, including the polemic title of Sport Recife in 1987, 14 of the 20 clubs in first division already won a title.

Brasileirão is always unpredictable. There are no Liverpool/Manuted/Arsenal/Chelsea. There are no Real Madrid/Barcelona. There are no Milan/Inter/Juve. No Boca/River domination! 

By the way, the Brasileirão will be played by the following teams:

América-RN
Atlético-MG - 1 title
Atlético-PR - 1 title
Botafogo - 1 title
Corinthians - 4 titles
Cruzeiro - 1 title
Figueirense 
Flamengo - 5 titles
Fluminense - 1 title
Grêmio - 2 titles
Internacional - 3 titles
Juventude
Náutico
Palmeiras - 4 titles
Paraná
Santos - 2 titles
São Paulo - 4 titles (defending champion)
Sport - 1 title (recognized by CBF, but polemic)
Vasco - 4 titles

Four last places are relegated to Serie B, top four plays 2008 Libertadores.  

Teams play all against each other both home and away.

- 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.