Flamengo Takes the Lead, Palmeiras Stumbles, and the Brasileirão Delivers Drama for Everyone

Round 26 of the Brasileirão is almost in the books—well, almost. As of this writing, we’re still waiting on Vitória vs. Grêmio, set for this Monday, September 7th. As usual, the Brazilian league never misses a chance to keep fans hanging until the very last minute—much like a "read" message left without a reply.

The big winner of the weekend was Flamengo. They secured a 1-0 victory over Remo in Belém to seize the top spot. They got a little help from Botafogo, who held Palmeiras to a 0-0 draw at Nilton Santos. The Rubro-Negro hit 54 points, edgeing out Verdão at 53. Flamengo even took to social media to troll their local rivals with a cheeky "thanks, friend." In football, friendships last exactly until the next derby, but for now, the memes are flowing.

Palmeiras surrendered the lead after months at the summit. A draw isn't a tragedy, but it’s not exactly the kind of result that lets a fan cancel their therapy session. The team needs a quick reaction, while Flamengo capitalizes on the first major power shift of the season.

Cruzeiro Wins on the Pitch, Stars in a Locker Room Soap Opera

Cruzeiro beat Athletico-PR 3-1 at the Mineirão, but the real headline was the heated argument between Matheus Pereira and Kaio Jorge over a penalty kick.

Matheus, the usual taker, had already missed a penalty in the first half and wanted a shot at redemption. Kaio Jorge refused to hand over the ball, converted the goal, and the two proceeded to argue in front of the cameras. According to defender João Marcelo, the issue was settled in the locker room. In other words: things got tense, but there’s no divorce yet. In football, sometimes the couple fights over the ball but ends the night celebrating the three points together.

Before kickoff, Cruzeiro fans protested against the squad, the board, and owner Pedro Lourenço. The victory provided some much-needed breathing room, though it’s clear the Raposa is still playing with the weight of immense pressure on their shoulders.

Inter in Crisis, Santos on the Rise

Santos took down Internacional 3-2 at the Beira-Rio after racing to a 3-0 lead and nearly letting the Colorado claw back. Gabigol found the net twice, and Cristian Oliva rounded out the scoring for Santos.

The Peixe is now on a four-game unbeaten streak, gaining momentum in their fight to distance themselves from the bottom of the table. Inter, meanwhile, remains stuck in the relegation zone (Z-4) and faced fierce protests from fans calling for President Alessandro Barcellos's resignation. Some fans walked out before halftime, while others took their anger to the streets outside the stadium.

When the stands start emptying before the break, it’s not because the crowd found a deal on parking. It’s a sign that the team urgently needs to find its way back—preferably before the next round.

Corinthians Falls to Chapecoense; Fans Lose Their Cool

Corinthians suffered a 2-1 defeat to Chapecoense at the Neo Química Arena. Matheus Bidu opened the scoring for Timão, but Marcinho struck twice to secure the comeback for the visitors.

This marks Corinthians' fourth consecutive loss in the Brasileirão. The stands erupted in chants of "shameful team." It’s not a tactical analysis, but it’s the go-to anthem when fans have exhausted their repertoire of polite suggestions.

Chapecoense, on the other hand, did exactly what they had to: they competed, they fought back, and they took the points. Football is always better when the underdog decides to light up the league.

Bahia: Specialists in Making Life Difficult

Bahia defeated Bragantino 3-2 away from home on Saturday, marking their third straight win. The Tricolor from Bahia came from behind to win, confirming their reputation as a team that refuses to follow a predictable script.

Luciano Juba converted a penalty, Alejo Véliz scored the equalizer, and Erick sealed the result. Bahia now has 43 points and remains firmly in the Libertadores qualification zone.

Bragantino took an early lead and fought until the end but suffered their second consecutive loss. The Massa Bruta didn't lack effort; they just couldn't stop Bahia from turning the match into a masterclass on "how to steal a win without asking for permission."

Refereeing Heats Up the Rio Derby

In Fluminense’s 1-0 win over Vasco, the drama wasn't limited to the scoreline. There were heated exchanges between the benches, penalty appeals, and a physical confrontation between referee Davi de Oliveira Lacerda and forward Canobbio. Hulk publicly slammed the officiating, claiming the ref "squared up" to the player.

The episode has gone viral, but as of this writing, there has been no official ruling classifying the incident as a disciplinary infraction. For now, it’s just more chaos for the record books. In Brazilian football, arguments often start on the pitch, move to the post-match interview, and end in the court of public opinion on the internet, where everyone is an expert and no one gets a yellow card.

São Paulo Wins, Mirassol Breathes

São Paulo defeated Atlético-MG 2-0 on Saturday, gaining confidence as the round progressed. The Tricolor played a composed game, while Galo left the pitch unable to turn possession and attempts into actual goals.

Mirassol beat Coritiba 2-1 in a comeback victory, winning away from home for the first time in nearly five months. It’s the kind of stat that shows how patient football can be: the team waited months, traveled again, and finally headed home with the win in their luggage.

Round 26 Results

09/05 — Bragantino 2 x 3 Bahia: The Massa Bruta led early, but Bahia flipped the script, proving they love a high-stakes comeback.

09/05 — São Paulo 2 x 0 Atlético-MG: The Tricolor was clinical, preventing Galo from turning pressure into points.

09/05 — Fluminense 1 x 0 Vasco: A tight derby with massive complaints and the referee at the center of the storm.

09/06 — Coritiba 1 x 2 Mirassol: The visitors staged a comeback, showing they still know how to find points on the road.

09/06 — Cruzeiro 3 x 1 Athletico-PR: The Fox won, ending Furacão's unbeaten run and throwing in a penalty-spot drama as a bonus.

09/06 — Internacional 2 x 3 Santos: The Peixe built a lead and held on, leaving Beira-Rio with three points while Inter left with more headaches.

09/06 — Remo 0 x 1 Flamengo: Flamengo won without much flash, but in this round, the only thing that mattered was the view from the top.

09/06 — Botafogo 0 x 0 Palmeiras: A draw that was great for Botafogo and precious for Flamengo; for Palmeiras, it tasted like a lost lead.

09/06 — Corinthians 1 x 2 Chapecoense: Chape pulled off an away comeback, cranking up the heat on Timão.

09/07 — Vitória x Grêmio: Grêmio struggled once again. Even facing a Vitória side with nine reserves, they lost. The Porto Alegre side saw the Bahia club pull 4 points ahead, leaving them dangerously close to the relegation zone.

Updated Standings

Posição	Clube	J	V	E	D	GP	GC	SG	Pontos
1	Flamengo	26	16	6	4	51	21	30	54
2	Palmeiras	26	15	8	3	45	21	24	53
3	Athletico Paranaense	26	13	6	7	38	28	10	45
4	Fluminense	26	12	9	5	40	32	8	45
5	Bahia	26	11	10	5	40	32	8	43
6	Cruzeiro	26	12	6	8	38	37	1	42
7	Coritiba SAF	26	10	7	9	34	35	-1	37
8	Atlético Mineiro	25	10	6	9	32	30	2	36
9	Red Bull Bragantino	25	10	5	10	31	28	3	35
10	São Paulo	25	9	6	10	31	28	3	33
11	Vitória	26	9	5	12	25	37	-12	32
12	Corinthians	26	8	8	10	27	27	0	32
13	Santos FC	25	8	8	9	37	38	-1	32
14	Botafogo	25	8	7	10	37	40	-3	31
15	Grêmio	25	7	7	11	27	33	-6	28
16	Mirassol	26	7	7	12	29	40	-11	28
17	Vasco da Gama SAF	25	6	7	12	27	40	-13	25
18	Internacional	26	5	10	11	28	34	-6	25
19	Remo	26	5	8	13	30	43	-13	23
20	Chapecoense	25	3	8	14	27	50	-23	17

Closing

The round leaves Flamengo in the driver's seat, with Palmeiras in hot pursuit. Bahia remains solid in the top tier, Cruzeiro is reclaiming its confidence, and several clubs are looking over their shoulders with calculators in hand. It’s another reminder that the Brasileirão remains a league where a single set piece can shift the table, a penalty can spark a locker room crisis, and a scoreless draw can decide who sleeps as the leader.