Brazil. The CBF decided to reorganize the national championship to 28-team tournament in 1987 and for that changes were made in the structure of 1986 campaign. There was no second level this year, just Copa Brazil. 80 teams participated and the structure was somewhat simplified. The so-called final table served at least a purpose: the top 28 teams in it were going to be the new top level in 1987 – however, it was not exactly in numerical order, but according to the stage reached during the championship, so at the end ‘the final table’ was not accurate. Teams at lower positions in the earlier stages of the championship were ‘relegated’. Eventually, all that became purely symbolic – the new concept cracked during the championship and shattered at the end. Still, the championship was gigantic and difficult to follow, so it will suffice to show only the last stages and ‘the final table’ here.
At the first stage the teams were divided into 8 groups – not equal at all. Group A had 11 teams and the last 4 were eliminated. Group B – 11 teams, 3 eliminated. Group C – 11 teams, 3 eliminated, Group D – 11 teams, 2 eliminated. Groups E, F, G, and H had 10 teams each and only the winners qualified to the second stage, 9 teams eliminated in each group. The concept cracked at this level, in Group D: originally, 28 teams were to qualify from groups A-D, meaning 3 teams were going to be eliminated in every group. Vasco da Gama was the last to qualify, but Sergipe failed doping probe after their match with Joinville (1-1). Joinville was awarded 2 points consequently and moved ahead of Vasco da Gama. Vasco da Gama filed a protest. Joinville also filed a protest and the Federation found itself in deadlock – both parties were right… The way out was to eliminate Portuguesa – 2nd in Group D. They were eliminated for going to justice court over a matter of ticket sales. Guilty of bypassing the Federation and going straight to the court of law… This decision angered all clubs from Sao Paulo and they threatened to abandon the competition in solidarity with Portuguesa. The Federation reversed its whimsical decision, Vasco da Gama, Joinville, and Portuguesa qualified to the second stage and thus the number of teams was now 29 – the odd number had to be remedied and Santa Cruz, Sobradinho, and Nautico were qualified as well in order of all groups in the second stage having the same number of teams. However, the incident proved once again that the Federation was incapable of making and enforcing meaningful decisions and was easily bending under pressure. New factors emerged as well – protests were becoming common and went to courts of law, challenging the Federation from another angle: right or wrong, the Federation had to apply a court ruling – or abandon the championship, for it was not going to continue until court cases were settled. One case was leading to another, football was at risk to be played not on stadiums, but in various courtrooms. But even such crack in the system opened the doors for constant challenges by unhappy clubs, especially the big ones, and the final result was the crash of otherwise meaningful reform of the championship.
Second stage. 4 groups of 9 teams each, the last two ‘relegated’. The top 4 qualified to the third stage. The rest – 5th to 7th placed? Apparently, qualified to the new 1987 championship. There was just one of the famous clubs in this group: Santos (5th in Group I). Better goal-difference qualified Gremio in Group J.
Third stage or 1/8 finals, direct elimination after two legs. In case of equal result, the better finisher in the second stage qualified to the ¼ finals. Fluminense, Cruzeiro, and Corinthians benefited by this rule.
¼ finals. Same rule applied in case of equal result and Atletico Mineiro benefited, having better record in the third stage than Cruzeiro. Fluminense and Corinthians were eliminated properly.
In the semi-finals Guarani eliminated Atletico Mineiro 0-0 and 2-1, and San Paulo prevailed over America (Rio de Janeiro) 1-0 and 1-1.
Thus, Sao Paulo and Guarani met at the final. After two games there was no winner – it was 1-1 in each match, 2-2 after overtime and penalty shoot-out decided the championship. Sao Paulo was luckier and won 4-3.
Somehow Sao Paulo won the championship – in February 1987! – and the incomplete photo, with Nelsinho absent for some reason, as an ample commentary of the messy and chaotic Brazilian championship. It was the second title for Sao Paulo. The squad was not bad, but hardly a great one. In the so-called ‘final table’ Sao Paulo’s campaign shows strength: 17 wins, 13 ties, 4 losses, 62-22 goal-difference in this season. However, it was not the best record: Guarani had a stronger one – 21 wins, 11 ties, only 2 lost games, 59-18 goal-difference. May be not significant difference, for the decisive stages were face-to-face eliminations and it was familiar trait in Brazilian football the strongest team in the whole season to finish second. Even so, Sao Paulo did not appear as convincing champion – rather, a lucky one.
And let’s look at ‘the final table’, for it was deciding who will play top level football in 1987 – at least according to the reforming idea of the Brazilian Federation and at the end of the 1986 season. The deserving teams are marked with a star: *.
Sao Paulo as national champions and 1st in the table. *
Guarani (Campinas) – 2nd. Standing from left: Sergio Neri, Gilson Jader, Almir, Ricardo Rocha, Marco Antonio, Tosin. First row: Chiquinho Carioca, Tite, Evair, Marco Antonio Boiadeiro, Joao Paulo. *
*3 – Atletico Mineiro (Belo Horizonte). 32 17 11 4 39-20 45
*4 – America (Rio de Janeiro). 32 11 12 9 29-29 34. Quite a weak seasonal record, but reached the semi-finals!
*5 – Bahia (Salvador). 30 17 6 7 40-21 40
*6 – Fluminense (Rio de Janeiro). 30 16 6 8 33-19 38
*7 – Corinthians (Sao Paulo). 30 13 12 5 42-20 38
*8 – Cruzeiro (Belo Horizonte). 30 12 12 6 38-21 36
*9 – Criciuma (Criciuma). 26 14 7 5 28-19 35
*10 – Palmeiras (Sao Paulo). 28 12 10 6 42-23 34
*11 – Portuguesa (Sao Paulo). Standing from left: Serginho, César, Jones, Albéris, Toquinho. Crouching: Eduardo, Célio, Edu Marangon, Toninho, Luís Pereira, Esquerdinha. 28 11 12 5 31-23 34
*12 – Internacional (Limeira). 26 13 7 6 37-25 33
*13 – Flamengo (Rio de Janeiro). Standing from left: Leandro, Cantarelli, Mozer, Andrade, Jorginho, Adalnerto. Front: Bebeto, Socrates, Chiquinho, Zico, Adilio. 28 12 8 8 34-19 32
*14 – Joinville (Joinville). 28 8 13 7 30-31 29
*15 – Vasco da Gama (Rio de Janeiro). 28 10 8 10 35-24 28
*16 – Gremio (Porto Alegre). 28 9 10 9 32-27 28
*17 – Internacional (Porto Alegre). 26 12 8 6 40-23 32
*18 – Atletico Paranaense (Curitiba). 26 9 11 6 27-17 29
*19 – Santos (Santos). 26 9 11 6 25-16 29
*20 – Rio Branco (Cariacica). 26 10 7 9 29-29 27
*21 – Bangu (Rio de Janeiro). 26 8 10 8 21-23 26
22 – Ponte Preta (Campinas). 26 9 7 10 29-30 25. Did not qualify for the new 1987 season.
*23 – Goias (Goiania). 26 7 11 8 25-30 25
*24 – Treze (Campina Grande). 24 9 6 9 16-22 24
*25 – Ceara (Fortaleza). 26 8 8 10 25-31 24
*26 – CSA (Maceio). 26 7 10 9 20-23 24
*27 – Santa Cruz (Recife). 26 6 12 8 24-30 24
28 – Sport (Recife). 26 8 7 11 25-27 23. Did not qualify for the 1987 season.
*29 – Atletico Goianianense (Goiania). 26 7 9 10 23-28 23
30 – Vitoria (Salvador). 26 6 11 9 23-30 23. Did not qualify for the 1987 season.
*31 – Nautico (Recife). 26 10 2 14 21-31 22. This was the last club qualified for the next season.
32 – Botafogo (Rio de Janeiro). 26 6 10 10 21-28 22. One can safely bet that trouble starts right here – Botafogo did not qualify for the 1987 season. So… pressure would be applied for sure. Until the Federation give up.
33 – Central (Caruaru). 24 7 7 10 22-37 21
34 – Nacional (Manaus). 26 7 6 13 25-33 20
35 – Comercial (Campo Grande). 26 5 9 12 22-37 19
36 – Sobradinho (Brasilia). 26 5 6 15 21-46 16
37 – Juventus (Sao Paulo). 8 4 4 0 8- 2 12
38 – Americano (Campos). 8 5 1 2 11- 6 11
39 – Maranhao (Sao Luis). 8 4 2 2 10- 7 10
40 – Marcilio Dias (Itajai). 8 4 2 2 8- 6 10
41 – Rio Negro (Manaus). 8 3 4 1 5- 2 10
42 – Goytacaz (Campos). 8 4 1 3 12-11 9
43 – Moto Clube (Sao Luis). 8 4 1 3 9-10 9
44 – America (Natal). 8 3 3 2 9- 3 9
45 – Pinheiros (Curitiba). 8 3 3 2 11- 9 9
46 – Londrina (Londrina). 8 3 3 2 9- 8 9
47 – Santo Andre (Santo Andre). 8 3 3 2 8- 8 9
48 – Desportiva (Cariacica). 8 3 2 3 9- 7 8
49 – Guarany (Sobral). 8 3 2 3 8- 9 8
50 – Anapolis (Anapolis). 8 3 2 3 8- 9 8
51 – CRB (Maceio). 8 3 2 3 6- 7 8
52 – Sergipe (Aracaju). 10 3 2 5 5-16 8
53 – Juventude (Caxias do Sul). 8 2 4 2 7- 5 8
54 – Catuense (Catu). 8 2 4 2 9- 9 8
55 – Itumbiara (Itumbiara). 8 1 6 1 6- 7 8
56 – Taguatinga (Brasilia). 8 3 1 4 14-12 7
57 – Avai (Florianopolis). 8 3 1 4 5- 6 7
58 – Novo Hamburgo (Novo Hamburgo). 8 3 1 4 8-11 7
59 – Operario (Campo Grande). 10 3 1 6 9-15 7
60 – Botafogo (Joao Pessoa). 10 3 1 6 9-16 7
61 – America (Belo Horizonte). 8 2 3 3 10- 9 7
62 – Fortaleza (Fortaleza). 10 2 2 6 7-19 6
63 – Ferroviario (Fortaleza). 8 1 4 3 7- 8 6
64 – Ubiratan (Dourados). 7 1 4 2 5- 6 6
65 – Fluminense (Feira de Santana). 8 1 4 3 7-12 6
66 – Sampaio Correa (Sao Luis). 10 1 4 5 5-15 6
67 – Remo (Belem). 10 0 6 4 9-15 6
68 – Tuna Luso (Belem). 10 2 1 7 8-20 5
69 – Coritiba (Curitiba). 10 1 3 6 3- 9 5
70 – Alecrim (Natal). 10 1 3 6 7-15 5
71 – Sport Belem (Belem). 8 1 2 5 5-11 4
72 – Brasil (Pelotas). 8 1 2 5 8-13 4
73 – Confianca (Aracaju). 8 1 2 5 5-14 4
74 – Mixto (Cuiaba). 8 1 2 5 9-21 4
75 – Cascavel (Cascavel). 8 0 4 4 6-12 4
76 – River (Teresina). 8 0 4 4 6-15 4
77 – Paysandu (Belem). 10 1 1 8 5-18 3
78 – Piaui (Teresina). 10 1 1 8 6-26 3
79 – Operario (Varzea Grande). 10 1 1 8 4-24 3
80 – Uberlandia (Uberlandia). 7 0 3 4 2- 7 3
That’s it… The teams marked with stars would make the new reformed top level in 1987 – in theory. In practice – shall see. Sao Paulo triumphed. Botafogo was ‘relegated’ in a way. For the moment.