II Division – Serie B. Format:
First Phase: The 24 participants were divided into four groups of six teams each. The teams competed in round within groups and robin, qualifying to the next stage the top four of each shift. The four teams with the worst campaigns would be relegated to 1991 Série C, but no such tournament happened, as CBF decided to include 64 clubs in the 1991 Série B, and cancel the Série C of that year.
Second Phase: The 16 qualified teams were divided into four groups with four teams each, playing in the group in turn and robin, qualifying the top two from each group to the next stage.
Third Phase: The 8 qualified teams were divided into two groups of four teams each, playing in the group in turn and robin, qualifying the best of each group for the final.
Final: Both teams champions group of stage disputed the title in two matches. Both gained access to the 1991 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A.
Group A[edit]
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification or relegation
1
Criciúma
10
5
3
2
8
6
+2
13
Qualified to the second phase
2
Blumenau
10
3
5
2
5
3
+2
11
3
Atlético-PR
10
2
7
1
7
2
+5
11
4
Juventude
10
3
4
3
6
7
−1
10
5
Joinville
10
2
5
3
8
8
0
9
Eliminated
6
Coritiba
10
2
2
6
6
14
−8
6
Relegated to 1991 Série C
Coritiba going down. It was not long ago they were champions of Brazil… and now relegated to third level. But the rules were changed meantime and Cortitba stayed in Seria B. Fair? No, but Brazilian football politics are special case.
Group B
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification or relegation
1
Grêmio Maringá
10
4
4
2
9
6
+3
12
Qualified to the second phase
2
XV de Piracicaba
10
4
4
2
13
12
+1
12
3
Botafogo-SP
10
4
3
3
14
6
+8
11
4
Guarani
10
4
2
4
13
11
+2
10
5
Rio Branco-AC
10
2
4
4
7
15
−8
8
Eliminated
6
Anapolina
10
1
5
4
9
15
−6
7
Relegated to 1991 Série C
End of season for Rio Branco.
Group C
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification or relegation
1
Catuense
10
5
4
1
14
6
+8
14
Qualified to the second phase
2
Operário-PR
10
4
4
2
16
8
+8
12
3
Juventus
10
5
1
4
8
10
−2
11
4
Itaperuna
10
3
4
3
10
11
−1
10
5
Central
10
1
5
4
4
8
−4
7
Eliminated
6
Americano
10
2
2
6
4
13
−9
6
Relegated to 1991 Série C
Initially America was going down, then rules changed in their favour.
Group D
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification or relegation
1
Sport
10
3
6
1
9
4
+5
12
Qualified to the second phase
2
Moto Club
10
3
6
1
8
4
+4
12
3
Remo
10
3
5
2
9
6
+3
11
4
Ceará
10
4
2
4
8
9
−1
10
5
Santa Cruz
10
2
6
2
8
9
−1
10
Eliminated
6
Treze
10
1
3
6
4
14
−10
5
Relegated to 1991 Série C
Short season for Santa Cruz.
Second phase
Group E
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Guarani
6
3
2
1
6
3
+3
8
Advanced to the Third phase
2
Criciúma
6
2
2
2
5
4
+1
6
3
XV de Piracicaba
6
2
1
3
5
8
−3
5
4
Blumenau
6
1
3
2
5
6
−1
5
Group F
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Juventude
6
4
2
0
6
1
+5
10
Advanced to the Third phase
2
Atlético Paranaense
6
3
1
2
7
4
+3
7
3
Botafogo-SP
6
2
2
2
4
3
+1
6
4
Grêmio Maringá
6
0
1
5
3
12
−9
1
Botafogo (Ribeirao Preto) and Socrates finished at this stage.
Gremio (Maringa) – last in the group.
Group G
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Catuense
6
3
1
2
6
5
+1
7
Advanced to the Third phase
2
Moto Club
6
3
0
3
4
3
+1
6
3
Juventus
6
3
0
3
5
5
0
6
4
Ceará
6
2
1
3
3
5
−2
5
Ceara – last.
Group H
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Operário-PR
6
3
2
1
6
5
+1
8
Advanced to the Third phase
2
Sport
6
1
4
1
4
4
0
6
3
Itaperuna
6
1
4
1
4
4
0
6
4
Remo
6
1
2
3
5
6
−1
4
Unlucky Itaperuna.
Remo – last in the group.
Third phase
Group I
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Sport
6
3
3
0
8
5
+3
9
Advanced to the final
2
Guarani
6
3
2
1
10
3
+7
8
3
Juventude
6
2
2
2
6
7
−1
6
4
Moto Club
6
0
1
5
5
14
−9
1
Guarani knew better days. Now the attempt to return to first level football failed.
Group J
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Atlético Paranaense
6
2
3
1
7
5
+2
7
Advanced to the final
2
Criciúma
6
2
2
2
10
5
+5
6
3
Operário-PR
6
2
2
2
5
9
−4
6
4
Catuense
6
2
1
3
7
10
−3
5
Catuense tried hard, but their failure was more or less expected.
Operario.
With that, Atletico Paranaense and Sport were both promoted to Serie A, which was the main goal of the championship, but there was still a final to be played for the title of Serie B. The first leg was played on December 12, 1990 and ended 1-1. The second leg, in Recife, played on December 16, also ended in tie: 0-0. Sport was declared champion of Serie B due to better season record. Again, was it fair is more than questionable, but no big deal in reality.
Atletico Paranaense – unbeaten at the final, but losers… kind of losers, for they were promoted to Serie A, so the season was more than satisfying.
Sport (Recife) – champions of Serie B. Questionable champions, for they were unable to prevail over Atletico Paranaense, but rules are rules. Yes, the rules were a bit strange, but even if the widely employed away-goal rule was in force, they would have been champions, so… only third match or penalty shoot-out could could have produced different winner. All that is purely academic, though – promotion was the most important aim and it was already achieved before the final. A trophy was not hurting, though.