Athletico secures São Paulo’s recovery and relegation is still a risk

In the first of four games that São Paulo will play against teams that, like the tricolor team, are fighting to get away from the relegation zone of the Brazilian Championship, the São Paulo team only drew with Athletico this Wednesday (24), by 0 to 0, in Morumbi.

It was a bad result for both, who now add 42 points, just five more than Bahia, the 17th and first in the red part of the classification.

With more victories (12 against 9) and better goal difference (-4 against -7), the team from Paraná appears in a more comfortable position, in 12th, while the São Paulo team is in 14th place. Santos, with the same 42 points, appears in 13th place.

Afterwards, the team led by Rogério Ceni will face Sport, also at home. Then, he goes to Porto Alegre to face Grêmio, and then back to Morumbi, where he faces Juventude. In the last round, the São Paulo team will face América-MG, the only opponent that at the moment is far from the relegation zone, with 45 points.

Reaching 44 points and being very close to the score of the miners was São Paulo’s goal this Wednesday, especially after the excellent performance in the last round, when they won the derby against Palmeiras, 2-0, at the opponent’s home.

Like the duel with the team alviverde, São Paulo had the domain in the game with Athletico, but had less creativity and aim in attack. Besides, it almost got complicated at the start. Even in the first half, Reinaldo escaped being sent off by committing a hard foul on Renato Kayzer.

The forward had to leave the match after 24 minutes, with a lot of pain in his ankle, but referee Pedro Vuaden only gave the São Paulo player a yellow card. Even with the protest of the players of the Paraná team, the referee did not check the bid on the VAR (video referee). Daniel Nobre Bins, responsible for the VAR, also did not call the field judge to review the bid.

As a precaution, during the break, Rogério Ceni decided to replace Reinaldo. Leo took his place. The scenario of the final 45 minutes was similar to that of the initial stage, with the home team pressing, but not being able to accurately complete the chances created.

Athletico, still hung over after winning the title at the Copa Sudamericana, on Saturday (20), when they beat Red Bull Bragantino by 1-0, in the decision played in Uruguay, also did not have the breath to seek a victory at Morumbi.

At the end of the match, Morumbi was divided between boos to the hosts and expressions of support for the tricolor team, which is still under threat of relegation.