I Division. Format: The tournament was played in a double round-robin system. For the determination of the quarterfinalists the 20 Teams were divided into 2 groups. The best team of each group considering only results within the group and the best team of each group considering only results with teams from the other group alongside the 4 best placed teams in the overall table advance to the quarterfinals. The bottom two teams were relegated.
First stage
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification or relegation
1
Grêmio
19
9
7
3
25
13
+12
25
Advances to the Quarterfinals
2
Atlético Mineiro
19
7
9
3
19
16
+3
23
3
São Paulo
19
8
6
5
20
14
+6
22
Advances to the Quarterfinals
4
Corinthians
19
8
6
5
17
18
−1
22
5
Bahia
19
7
8
4
20
12
+8
22
6
Bragantino
19
7
8
4
19
16
+3
22
7
Santos
19
7
8
4
19
13
+6
22
Advances to the Quarterfinals
8
Palmeiras
19
8
5
6
21
18
+3
21
9
Cruzeiro
19
8
5
6
21
18
+3
21
10
Goiás
19
7
7
5
22
19
+3
21
11
Flamengo
19
7
6
6
24
18
+6
20
12
Botafogo
19
7
4
8
17
18
−1
18
13
Náutico
19
4
10
5
13
18
−5
18
14
Vasco da Gama
19
3
12
4
15
15
0
18
15
Fluminense
19
5
5
9
19
24
−5
15
16
Internacional
19
4
7
8
19
23
−4
15
17
Vitória
19
4
7
8
15
22
−7
15
18
Portuguesa
19
3
9
7
18
22
−4
15
19
São José
19
3
9
7
10
20
−10
15
Relegation to 1991 Campeonato Brasileiro Série B
20
Inter de Limeira
19
4
2
13
9
25
−16
10
Cruzeiro – 9th. Standing from left: Paulo César, Gilson Jader, Adilson, Balu, Roberson, Eduardo Souza. First row: Heider, Paulo Isidoro, Luiz Gustavo, Careca, Édson.
Goias – 10th.
Flamengo – 11th.
Botafogo – 12th.
Nautico – 13th.
Vasco da Gama – 14th.
Fluminense – 15th.
Inter (Porto Alegre) – 16th. Standing from left: Cézar Zabala, Elisha Erhart, Maicena, Norberto Arruda Lemos, Chiquinho Junior, Daniel Franco. Crouching: Bernardo Silva, Marcelo Gonçalves Prates, Guga Goleta Pavarotti, Nélson Bali, Edu Lima XI.
Vitoria – 17th.
Portuguesa – 18th. May be a photo of the period, if not of the actual season. Standing from left: Paulo César, Gilmar, Edinho, Jorginho, Capitão, Norberto. Front: Zé Roberto, Caio, Paulinho Mc Laren, Zinho, Nílson.
Sao Jose – 19th and relegated. Really unfortunate – they ended in the relegation on goal-difference .
Inter (Limeria) – last and out. They were the weakest team this season and deserved relegation.
¼ finals:
Atletico Mineiro was eliminated by Corinthians 1-2 and 0-0.
Santos lost to Sao Paulo 0-1 and 1-1.
Palmeiras lost to Gremio 1-0 and 0-2.
Bragantino lost to Bahia 1-1 and 2-3. Standing from left: Luis Carlos Prima (Prep. Físico), Gil Baiano, Biro-Biro, Carlos Augusto, Mauro Silva, Marcelo. Crouching: Ivair, Tiba, Mário, Mazinho, João Santos.
½ finals:
Gremio lost to Sao Paulo 0-2 and 1-0. Standing from left: Mazaropi, Vilson, Alfinete. Luis Cláudio, Jandir, Hélcio. First row: Caio, Cuca, Nilson, Paulo Egidio, Assis.
Bahia eliminated by Corinthians 1-2 and 0-0.
Final: tough clash between Corinthians and Sao Paulo in which Corinthians prevailed twice by 1-0.
Sad ending of the season, but they lost both final legs. As a squad, a bit short on big names and perhaps that was the reason they lost.
Marvelous season for Corinthians – Brazilian champions at last and the victory was square and fair – they won both legs of the final. Long wait, lost first attempt in 1976, but this time they were on top. Compared to other teams – and not just Sao Paulo, but perhaps 4-5 other clubs – Corinthians had no big stars and that made the victory even better. They were unable to win with Socrates – which is sad – but without him they won the title.
First time champions – a historic moment. And what delight for club, players and mostly the fans longing for big triumph so many years. At last one of the most popular and respected Brazilian clubs put its name in the list of champions and beating their bitter city rivals Sao Paulo was just wonderful.