Football Season Guide

Serie A
Brazil
Serie A
2017
Sao Paulo FC
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Sao Paulo FC

In


Lucas Pratto (Att, Atletico Mineiro), Cícero (Mid, Fluminense, on loan), Júnior (Def, Gremio), Sidão (GK, Audax), Shaylon (Mid, Chapecoense), Wellington Nem (Mid, Shakhtar Donets, on loan), Edimar (Def, Cruzeiro, on loan), Jucilei (Mid, Luneng, on loan), Neilton (Mid, Cruzeiro, on loan), Thomaz (Mid, Wilstermann)

Out


David Neres (Mid, Ajax), Ademilson (Att, Gamba Osaka), Bruno Cortez (Def, Gremio), Léo (GK, Parana, on loan), Húdson (Def, Cruzeiro, on loan), Michel Bastos (Mid, Palmeiras), Carlinhos (Def, Internacional, on loan), Reinaldo (Def, Chapecoense, on loan), Ytalo (Att, Audax, on loan), Jean Carlos (Mid, Goias, on loan), Gabriel (Att, Ventforet Kofu, on loan), Auro (Def, America MG, on loan), Matheus Reis (Def, Bahia, on loan), Artur (Mid, Columbas Crew, on loan) Daniel (Mid, Coritiba, on loan), Junior (Def, Gremio, end of loan), Kelvin (Mid, Porto, end of loan), Eugenio Mena (Def, Cruzeiro, end of loan), Allan (Def, released), Robson (Att, Parana, end of loan)

In a bid to return to the glory days, Sao Paulo hired club legend Rogério Ceni in the aftermath of last season’s tenth placed finish. They also made some marquee signings, from Lucas Pratto to Cicero and Wellington Nem to Jucilei, with the team starting pre-season playing attacking and successful football. Yet they didn’t have all that much joy in the Paulista State Championship and they fell out at the semi-final stage with a number of derby disappointments to ponder over. That showed that there is still some way for rookie coach Ceni to go. His team played some great football and also gave some very poor performances, so the jury is still out on how he’ll fare in the Serie A season. Ceni may wish he could put on the gloves and play himself in some matches as one of the main weaknesses in this team is beneath the posts, with the new goalkeepers failing to inspire much confidence. This, therefore, is a team which will likely score many goals, but which is also likely to be picking the ball out of its own net time and time again.

Target


Although there is excitement at having a club legend like Rogério Ceni in the dugout, it must be kept in mind just how inexperienced he is. As such, hopes of pushing for Copa Libertadoes qualification are unrealistic and Sao Paulo FC will likely finish around mid-table in this transitional year.