Have the champions really returned? São Paulo move up to 4th

Adriano celebrates against Corinthians

“O campeão voltou” or ‘the champions are back” was the cry coming from the 28,000 or so who were in the estádio Morumbi to see São Paulo beat an in-form Goiás 3-1.

For most of this season, São Paulo have languished in the wrong half of the table. But Ricardo Gomes seems to have restored confidence as Washington, Jorge Wagner and Borges got the goals that secured side their fifth straight win.  Bruno Meneghel scored Goiás’ consolation goal. See the goals

Goiás, however, remain in second as leaders Palmeiras meet 3^rd placed Atlético Mineiro in Belo Horizonte on Wednesday.

Barueri got back to winning ways seeing off Grêmio in São Paulo thanks to a goal from the highly-rated Fernandinho. With almost half the season gone, Grêmio have yet to win away from home managing just two points in nine games on the road. See the goal

Avaí are another of last year’s promoted sides doing well this season. On Saturday, Madson and Kléber Pereira had given Santos a two-goal lead in the Vila Belmiro. Avaí, though, bounced back with strikes from William and Emerson Silva for a deserved point. The Santa Catarina outfit are now unbeaten in 8 games – the best run in the league right now. See the goals

Brazil’s best supported clubs met in the Maracanã in Rio. Around 50,000 turned up to see an awful game between Flamengo and Corinthians. A second-half goal from Adriano settled the affair. The Flamengo forward has ten to his name and went ahead in the race to finish the league’s top scorer.  See the goal

The alarm bells are now starting to sound at Corinthians who have now gone five games without a win scoring just one goal in that period. The Parque São Jorge club have a tough run of matches coming up which sees them pitted against the likes of Atlético Mineiro, Internacional, Barueri, Santos, Goiás and São Paulo over the next seven weeks.

Náutico, Fluminense, Sport and Coritiba occupy the relegation places. The latter’s 3-1 home loss to Cruzeiro cost coach Rene Simôes his job.

See the table and the rest of the Campeonato Brasileiro round 18 results here