Football Season Guide

A very disappointing ending in last season saw Colorado drop from a respectable 6th position to a lukewarm 12th in the final 10 rounds. Internacional suffered some important injury blows around the middle of the season, as well as struggling to find a good replacement in the dugout for Coudet and Braga who had led ‘Colorados’ to a very good 2nd place in 2020. 2022 has started even worse than 2021 had ended, as Colorados were already knocked out both from Brazilian Cup by a very modest team and from Campeonato Gaúcho (State Championship), losing to arch-rivals Grêmio in the semi-finals. For the new season, club brought the Uruguayan Alexander Medina, who came from a successful spell at Argentinean team Talleres. The Uruguayan looks like wanting to establish a 4-3-3 formation (rare in Brazil), with just one holding midfielder and two “8s” behind an asymmetrical front-3: 1 wide winger (Wanderson/David) and 1 inside forward (Taison). Daniel will remain the firm option for goal, now having Keiller as his sub, who returns from a very good loan spell at Chapecoense (iconic Lomba is gone). At 33, Cuesta may no longer be the Colorados’ defensive reference. It seems more likely that Bruno Mendez will be the leader at the back and Kaique Rocha looks to be his better partner as the season starts. Argentinean Bustos was brought for the right-back position, replacing his country fellowman Saravia. The club’s biggest icon in the past decade or so, D’Alessandro is back. At 40, he is considered to be a bigger asset in the locker room more than on the pitch. The hardworking Gabriel arrived from Corinthians and already made an impact. Liziero and Bruno Gomes are good new options for midfield. Exiled from Russia, Wanderson is the big name signing for the season. He’ll contest with also new signing David a place on the wing. Team’s star and big icon Taison will play closer to the striker, where new signings Alexandre Alemão and Wesley Moraes join 19-years promising Matheus Cadorini. Team seems to lack a proper striker of high caliber. Early games in 2022 were far from encouraging.