1996 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A

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Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
Season1996
ChampionsGrêmio (2nd title)
RelegatedNo teams were relegated in this season
Copa LibertadoresGrêmio
Cruzeiro (via Copa do Brasil)
Matches290
Goals787 (2.71 per match)
Top goalscorerPaulo Nunes
Renaldo
(16 goals each)
← 1995
1997 →

The 1996 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A was the 40th edition of the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A. It ran from August 8 to December 15, 1996. It was contested by 24 teams and divided into two stages. In the first one, every team played against each other once. After 23 rounds, the top eight clubs qualified for the next stage, and the bottom two were supposed to be relegated, but CBF decided to keep Fluminense and Bragantino in Série A after the season was over. This decision followed a leak of recorded telephone conversation transcripts broadcast in TV Globo, suggesting that, during the 1996 season, Atlético-PR general manager Mario Celso Petraglia and Corinthians general manager Alberto Dualib had conversations with Brazilian football officials to influence referee appointments.[1] The scandal resulted in mild individual punishments only.

The final stage was played in elimination system with home-and-away matches. The club with better record during the first stage had the advantage to qualify in case of a draw. In the end, Grêmio won their second championship in history based on this rule. They were defeated by runners-up Portuguesa 2–0 at Morumbi Stadium, but came back in the second leg, winning by the same score at their home ground, Olímpico Stadium in Porto Alegre.[2]

Standings and results

First stage

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Cruzeiro 23 13 5 5 31 17 +14 44 Qualified for next stage
2 Guarani 23 13 4 6 23 14 +9 43
3 Palmeiras 23 12 7 4 42 20 +22 43
4 Atlético Paranaense 23 12 3 8 41 28 +13 39
5 Atlético Mineiro 23 12 3 8 39 32 +7 39
6 Grêmio 23 11 5 7 42 27 +15 38
7 Goiás 23 11 4 8 37 27 +10 37
8 Portuguesa 23 11 3 9 32 29 +3 36
9 Internacional 23 10 5 8 31 27 +4 35
10 Sport 23 10 5 8 32 31 +1 35
11 São Paulo 23 9 8 6 39 32 +7 35
12 Corinthians 23 7 11 5 20 19 +1 32
13 Flamengo 23 9 3 11 24 31 −7 30
14 Coritiba 23 9 3 11 25 30 −5 29[a]
15 Vitória 23 8 5 10 32 39 −7 29
16 Paraná 23 8 4 11 26 30 −4 28
17 Botafogo 23 7 7 9 33 35 −2 28
18 Vasco da Gama 23 8 3 12 37 43 −6 27
19 Juventude 23 8 3 12 31 37 −6 27
20 Santos 23 7 6 10 26 31 −5 27
21 Criciúma 23 6 5 12 31 39 −8 23
22 Bahia 23 5 8 10 25 35 −10 23
23 Fluminense 23 6 4 13 26 50 −24 22 Relegated to Série B 1997
24 Bragantino 23 5 4 14 26 48 −22 19
Source:
Notes:
  1. 1 point deducted?

Final stage

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
            
1 Cruzeiro 0 1
8 Portuguesa 3 0
Atlético Mineiro 0 2
Portuguesa 1 2
4 Atlético (PR) 1 1
5 Atlético Mineiro 3 0
Portuguesa 2 0
Grêmio 0 2
2 Guarani 1 1
7 Goiás 3 0
Goiás 1 2
Grêmio 3 2
3 Palmeiras 1 1
6 Grêmio 3 0

Grêmio won based on their better record during first stage.

 Campeonato Brasileiro 1996 champions 
 
2nd title

Top scorers

# Player Team Goals
1 Brazil Paulo Nunes Grêmio 16
Brazil Renaldo Atlético Mineiro
3 Brazil Túlio Botafogo 13
Brazil Paulo Rink Atlético Paranaense
5 Brazil Djalminha Palmeiras 12
Brazil Aílton Guarani
7 Brazil Oséas Atlético Paranaense 11
Brazil Müller São Paulo
Brazil Mabilia Criciúma
Brazil Leandro Machado Internacional
Brazil Rodrigo Fabri Portuguesa

References