Football Season Guide

EC Bahia

In


Ademir (att) Atlético MG; Kanu (def) Botafogo - on loan; Marcos Felipe (gk) Fluminense - on loan; Cicinho (def) Ludogorets, BUL; Raúl Gustavo (def) Corinthians - on loan; Jhoanner Chavez (def) Del Valle, ECU; David Duarte (def) Fluminense - on loan; Marcos Victor (def) Ceará; Yago Felipe (mid) Fluminense; Nicolas Acevedo (mid) New York City FC, USA - on loan; Cauly (mid) Ludogorets, BUL; Diego Rosa (mid) Vizela, POR - on loan by Manchester City, ENG; Kayky (att) Paços de Ferreira, POR - on loan by Manchester City, ENG; Arthur Sales (att) Paços de Ferreira, POR - on loan by Lommel, BEL; Everaldo (att) Kashima Antlers, JAP; Biel (att) Fluminense/Grêmio; Thaciano (mid/att) Grêmio - on loan

Out


Denis Jr. (sp)(gk) Vila Nova - on loan; Matheus Teixeira (sp)(gk) Oita Trinita, JAP - on loan, Gabriel Souza (gk) Portimonense, POR; Gabriel Noga (sp)(def) Flamengo - return from loan; Luiz Otávio (r)(def) Mirassol; Marcos Antônio (r)(mid) Atlético GO; Patrick de Lucca (r)(mid) Vasco; Caio Vidal (att) Ludogorets, BUL; Hugo Rodallega (r)(att) Santa Fe, COL; Igor Torres (sp)(att) Atlético GO; Jonathan Copete (sp)(att) CRB; Raí Nascimento (r)(att) Ludogorets, BUL; Ronaldo Cézar (sp)(att) Levski Sofia, BUL

Bahia is back to top flight just one season after dropping to Série B, where they managed to finish 3rd, 4 points above the 5th placed. Baianos started well and looked very comfortable for some time, but the second part of the season almost ruined their run. Bahia were the convincing champions of 2023's edition of Campeonato Baiano. The first year of Bahia as part of the City Group has started with success, but now Série A will be the real test for Baianos. The City Group brought a Portuguese coach: Renato Paiva likes to employ a possession type of football, which is surely a challenge for a team like Bahia that will face bigger opponents in Série A more often than not. As expected, the club's new status allow them to be more ambitious on the transfer market, and some recognizable names joined in the project, most notably the wingers Ademir, Kayky, Biel and Everaldo and central midfielder Cauly. The squad looks strong and deep. There are definitely many options for almost all positions. The technical level is quite high, and some big names of recent past like Goulart will struggle to find a space on the XI. Being a very recent project and an almost completely new squad, Bahia may face quite some struggles to find appropriate routines among this group of players. If we were to pick one among the many talents on the squad, the youngster Biel would be the name to point at, after having impressed during his first months at Bahia. The former Fluminense winger has already matched the good numbers he had last season while on loan to Grêmio, in Série B.

Target


Bahia arrives at Série A with a similar status that Botafogo had in last season. If things work out good, Bahia may become a force in years to come, but for now they would settle for simply avoiding relegation.