At the Morumbi stadium, Fortaleza beat São Paulo 2 x 1 on Wednesday night (20). With the result, Tricolor parked at 28 points, having an advantage of just four over Santos (with one game more), the first team in the relegation zone of the Brazilian Championship. On social media, with just four days left until the grand final of the Copa do Brasil, the São Paulo team published messages of concern about the team’s situation in the Brasileirão.
Despite being a finalist in the national cup, winning the first leg of the final at Maracanã and eliminating rivals Corinthians and Palmeiras in the previous stages, Dorival Júnior’s team has a lot of difficulty when playing in the Brasileirão. The last triumph in the points championship took place more than two months ago, on July 15, when they beat rival Santos 4 x 1. Since then, they have had eight matches without winning, with four defeats and four draws.
Pessimistic fans report that the season cannot end on Sunday (with or without a title) and the focus must be on moving away from the Z4. See some of the negative reactions from São Paulo residents.
If São Paulo takes the turn towards Flamengo, relegation will be a huge reality, the squad won’t have the atmosphere like that… MAY GOD PROTECT US
— Vitinho ˢᵖᶠᶜ (@vitinho2k02) September 21, 2023
Another defeat in the Brasileirão. Flirting with relegation is SP’s style these days.
— Matheus Alvim Oliveira (@matheus06518308) September 21, 2023
I don’t want to be boring, but I expect a lot from whoever wears the SPFC shirt, and honestly, I don’t see anything good in Michel Araújo, Juan and Nathan. The season doesn’t end on Sunday and a CdB will not be valid with a present relegation in December. « Warrior » is the fan.
— Tricolor at SPFCTT (@tt_SPFC) September 21, 2023
The fear of falling is already starting to hit pic.twitter.com/U8c983HLJV
— Ziel (@JosielOliiveira) September 21, 2023
I’m scared of the Z4, see…
— W͓̽ᴇꜱʟʟᴇʏ ˢᵖᶠᶜ (@Weslleydvz) September 21, 2023
I know there are still 14 rounds left before the Brasileirão ends. And some fans have the mindset that after the Brazilian Cup the focus will be 100% there. But seeing that the team is 4 points away from the relegation zone, there is no way to rest assured. I saw this film in 2012…
— Igor Diniz (@Igordinizwolf) September 21, 2023
São Paulo wanting to experience relegation
— g. (@Gaabbsz) September 21, 2023
James Rodríguez scores the first, but receives criticism after another missed penalty
Considered one of the main signings of the year, Colombian midfielder James Rodríguez scored the only São Paulo goal in the match, taking advantage of Fortaleza’s ball failure. Even with the goal, the player was not spared from criticism, as he wasted a penalty when the game was 1 x 0 for Leão do Pici.
Previously, James had missed a penalty that resulted in São Paulo’s elimination from the Copa Sudamericana for LDU. Fans used as an example the penalty taken by Martin Lucero, scorer of Ceará’s second goal in the match.
Lúcero showed James Rodríguez how to take a penalty (note: he hit the same corner as James and scored the goal)
— Waillom Barbosa (@BarbosaWaillom) September 21, 2023
Did you learn how to take a penalty James?
— Ryyzn (@ImRyyzn) September 21, 2023
Learn from there, James!
— The Last Defender of 𝐺𝑎𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑙 𝑁𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑠 (@LopesLucazz) September 21, 2023
Tricolor bets season chips on Sunday
This Sunday’s final (24), starting at 4pm (Brasília time), could save or decree a disastrous season for São Paulo – which will still have to react in the Brasileirão. The team, still with Rogério Ceni, fell in the quarterfinals of the Campeonato Paulista and then, with Dorival, didn’t even fight for the national championship and unexpectedly fell in Sula.
At least they will have the advantage of a draw against Flamengo in the fight for the unprecedented Copa do Brasil title, a competition in which they were runners-up at most, just once in 2000, losing the decision to Cruzeiro.
Even if they are champions, São Paulo will need to focus on the Brasileirão to not even consider relegation. To do this, there will be two consecutive matches at Morumbi against Coritiba and Corinthians. In the history of the Brasileirão, winners of the Copa do Brasil have already been relegated in the same year they lifted the cup, such as Juventude (1999) and Palmeiras (2012).
São Paulo’s next games
- São Paulo x Flamengo – Copa do Brasil – Morumbi – September 24th (Sunday), at 4pm (Brasília time);
- São Paulo x Coritiba – Brasileirão Série A – Morumbi – September 27th (Wednesday), at 7pm (Brasília time);
- São Paulo x Corinthians- Brasileirão Série A – Morumbi – September 30th (Saturday), at 6:30 pm (Brasília time).