Football Season Guide

After a lackluster performance for most of the season, Chapecoense lifted themselves to a safe place in the final rounds of the season, when Claudinei Oliveira (the third coach of the campaign) arrived to save Chape from relegation in the very last round with a memorable win over São Paulo. Chape lost almost their entire backline, as key goalkeeper Jandrei, iconic full-back Apodi and centre-halves Thyere and Fabrício are gone. Midfielders Doffo, Osman and Canteros, but most importantly the strikers Leandro Pereira and Wellington Paulista will be missed. João Ricardo, from relegated America, and Gum, from Fluminense, are excellent signings for the back, but is it enough? Companharo arrives from Bulgary and seems already a hit as playmaker. In the attack the hopes lie on Everaldo (coming from Mexico) and the talented, but highly injury-prone, Rildo. While short in numbers and deserving some doubts, the new signings will always have to depend on the good form of the core players from last season. The likes of midfielder Márcio Araújo, Elicarlos and Amaral will provide quality in midfield for the team to build on. There have been already 22 different players injured this year. Some of them with moderate to high severity. And there was already agitation on the dugout, with Claudinei Oliveira leaving the club in March. Ney Franco arrived to replace him.