The 2016 was the 60th season of the Série A, the top level of professional football in Brazil, and the 14th edition in a double round-robin since its establishment in 2003. The season began on 15 May 2016 and ended on 11 December 2016. Fixtures for the 2016 season were announced on 25 April 2016.Veja - Brasileirão 2016 terá mais jogos matinais e um novo horário aos sábados Palmeiras won the title, their ninth overall.
Format and results For the fourteenth consecutive season, the tournament was played in a double round-robin system. The team with most points at the end of the season was declared champion. The bottom four teams were relegated and will play in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série B in the 2017 season.
Atlético Mineiro and Chapecoense did not play their last match due to the accident involving 71 deaths (including 19 Chapecoense players) on 28 November 2016. Due to a lack of squad depth, both teams decided to forfeit the game resulting in Chapecoense finishing 11th and Atlético Mineiro finishing 4th. Match officials declared a double W.O., as CBF refused to cancel the match.
International qualification The Série A served as a qualifier to CONMEBOL's 2017 Copa Libertadores. The top-three teams in the standings qualified to the Second Stage of the competition, while from the fourth to sixth place in the standings qualified to the First Stage.
And this change also impacts on the Copa Sudamericana, whose vacancies are again to be distributed in the stockmarket enot more by Copa do Brasil.
Tiebreakers In case of a tie on points between two or more clubs, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
Number of wins; Goal difference; Goals for; Head to Head; Fewer red cards; Fewest yellow cards; Draw.
With respect to the fourth criterion (direct confrontation), it is considered the result of the combined game, or the result of 180 minutes. Staying tie, the tie will be made by the greatest number of goals scored in the opponent's field. The fourth criterion is not considered in the case of a tie between more than two clubs.
Teams
Twenty teams competed in the league – the top sixteen teams from the previous season, as well as four teams promoted from the Série B.
Botafogo became the first club to be promoted after a 1–0 win against Luverdense on 10 November 2015 meant they were guaranteed an automatic place.Goal.com - Luverdense 0 x 1 Botafogo: Fogão vence fora e garante retorno antecipado à Série A They returned to the League after only a season's absence.UOL - Botafogo bate Luverdense, garante retorno à Série A e encaminha título Vitória became the second club to be promoted, after a 3-0 win with Luverdense. They returned to the League after only a season's absence. Santa Cruz became the third club to be promoted, after 3-0 win with Mogi Mirim. They played the Brasileirão for the first time since the 2006 season. América Mineiro became the fourth and final club to be promoted, following a 1–1 draw over Ceará meant they finished above them on points difference and secured the automatic spot.
The four promoted clubs replaced Avaí, Vasco da Gama, Goiás and Joinville. At the end of the season, for the third consecutive year, Rio de Janeiro did not have its four representatives in the first division, largely due to the inconsistent performance of Vasco da Gama and Botafogo, who alternated in relegation in recent seasons.
Pos.Relegated from 2015 Série A17thAvaí18thVasco da Gama19thGoiás20thJoinville
Pos.Promoted from 2015 Série B1stBotafogo2ndSanta Cruz3rdVitória4thAmérica Mineiro
Stadia and locations The three clubs based in Rio de Janeiro, Botafogo, Flamengo and Fluminense weren't able to play their home matches in Maracanã or Engenhão Stadiums due to the preparation of these venues for the Olympic Games that were held in the city in August.http://globoesporte.globo.com/rj/futebol/brasileirao-serie-a/noticia/2016/05/aluga-se-para-temporada-conheca-os-novos-estadios-do-rio-para-o-brasileiro.html (Portuguese) The clubs used other stadiums for their home matches. Other stadiums used include Arena das Dunas, Arena Fonte Nova, Arena Pernambuco, Kléber Andrade, Mané Garrincha, Mário Helênio, Pacaembu, and Raulino de Oliveira.
Team Location State Stadium Capacity América Mineiro Belo Horizonte Independência Mineirão (one match) Estádio do Café (one match) 23,018 61,846 30,000 Atlético Mineiro Belo Horizonte Independência Mineirão (4 matches) 23,018 61,846 Atlético Paranaense Curitiba Arena da Baixada Vila Capanema (one match) 42,372 17,140 Botafogo Rio de Janeiro Luso-Brasileiro Mário Helênio (4 matches) Raulino de Oliveira (3 matches) Mané Garrincha (one match) 17,250 31,863 18,230 72,788 Chapecoense Chapecó Arena Condá 20,089 Corinthians São Paulo Arena Corinthians Pacaembu (one match) 47,605 37,730 Coritiba Curitiba Couto Pereira Vila Capanema (one match) 40,502 17,140 Cruzeiro Belo Horizonte Mineirão Independência (one match) 61,846 23,018 Figueirense Florianópolis Orlando Scarpelli 19,584 Flamengo Rio de Janeiro Kléber Andrade (5 matches) Maracanã (4 matches) Mané Garrincha (4 matches) Raulino de Oliveira (3 matches) Pacaembu (2 matches) Arena das Dunas (one match) 21,252 78,838 72,788 18,230 37,730 31,375 Fluminense Rio de Janeiro Giulite Coutinho (8 matches) Raulino de Oliveira (5 matches) Maracanã (2 matches) Mané Garrincha (2 matches) Kléber Andrade (2 matches) 13,544 18,230 78,838 72,788 21,252 Grêmio Porto Alegre Arena do Grêmio 55,662 Internacional Porto Alegre Beira-Rio 50,128 Palmeiras São Paulo Allianz Parque Pacaembu (one match) Fonte Luminosa (one match) 43,713 37,730 21,441 Ponte Preta Campinas Moisés Lucarelli 19,728 Santa Cruz Recife Arruda Arena Pernambuco (one match) Arena Pantanal (one match) 60,044 44,300 44,097 Santos Santos Vila Belmiro Pacaembu (3 matches) Arena Pantanal 16,068 37,730 44,097 São Paulo São Paulo Morumbi Pacaembu (2 matches) 67,052 37,730 Sport Recife Recife Ilha do Retiro Arena Pernambuco (2 matches) 32,983 44,300 Vitória Salvador Barradão Arena Fonte Nova (3 matches) Joia da Princesa (one match) 34,535 47,907 16,274
Number of teams by state Number of teams State Team(s)5 Corinthians, Palmeiras, Ponte Preta, Santos, São Paulo3 América Mineiro, Atlético Mineiro, Cruzeiro Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense2 Atlético Paranaense, Coritiba Santa Cruz, Sport Recife Grêmio, Internacional Chapecoense, Figueirense1 Vitória
Personnel and kits
TeamManagerCaptainKit manufacturerShirt main sponsorAmérica Mineiro Enderson Moreira Leandro GuerreiroLupoBanco IntermediumAtlético Mineiro Diogo Giacomini (interim) Leonardo SilvaDryworldCaixaAtlético Paranaense Paulo Autuori WévertonUmbroCaixaBotafogo Jair Ventura Jefferson TopperCaixaChapecoense Caio Júnior Cléber SantanaUmbroCaixaCorinthians Oswaldo de Oliveira FagnerNikeCaixaCoritiba Paulo César Carpegiani KléberAdidasCaixaCruzeiro Mano Menezes FábioUmbroCaixaFigueirense Marquinhos Santos Rafael MouraLupoCaixaFlamengo Zé Ricardo RéverAdidasCaixaFluminense Marcão GumDryworldNoneGrêmio Renato Gaúcho MaiconUmbroBanrisulInternacional Lisca PaulãoNikeBanrisulPalmeiras Cuca Fernando PrassAdidasCrefisaPonte Preta Eduardo Baptista Wellington PaulistaAdidasViva SchinSanta Cruz Adriano Teixeira (interim) Tiago CardosoPenaltyMRVSantos Dorival Júnior Ricardo OliveiraKappaCaixaSão Paulo Ricardo Gomes MaiconUnder ArmourPrevent SeniorSport Daniel Paulista DurvalAdidasCaixaVitória Argel Fucks Fernando Miguel Puma Caixa
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentAtlético Mineiro Diego AguirreResigned19 May3rd Marcelo Oliveira20 MayFlamengo Muricy RamalhoResigned26 May11th Zé Ricardo26 May (interim) 14 JulyCoritiba Gilson KleinaSacked2 June16th Pachequinho2 JuneAmérica Mineiro Givanildo OliveiraSacked3 June20th Sérgio Vieira4 JuneCorinthians TiteSigned by Brazil15 June4th Cristóvão Borges19 JuneChapecoense Guto FerreiraSigned by Bahia24 June8th Caio Júnior25 JuneInternacional Argel FucksSacked10 July8th Falcão12 JulyFigueirense Vinícius EutrópioSacked11 July17th Argel Fucks11 JulyAmérica Mineiro Sérgio VieiraSacked17 July20th Enderson Moreira20 JulyCruzeiro Paulo BentoSacked25 July19th Mano Menezes 26 JulySão Paulo Edgardo BauzaSigned by Argentina1 August10th Ricardo Gomes12 AugustCoritiba PachequinhoMutual consent5 August17th Paulo César Carpegiani5 AugustInternacional FalcãoSacked8 August13th Celso Roth8 AugustSanta Cruz Milton MendesResigned9 August19th Doriva12 AugustBotafogo Ricardo GomesSigned by São Paulo12 August17th Jair Ventura13 AugustFigueirense Argel FucksSacked22 August18th Tuca Guimarães5 SeptemberVitória Vágner ManciniSacked10 September18th Argel Fucks12 SeptemberGrêmio Roger MachadoResigned14 September8th Renato Gaúcho18 SeptemberCorinthians Cristóvão BorgesSacked17 September6th Fábio Carille17 SeptemberFigueirense Tuca GuimarãesMutual consent19 September17th Marquinhos Santos19 SeptemberCorinthians Fábio CarilleMutual consent12 October8th Oswaldo de Oliveira12 OctoberSport Oswaldo de OliveiraSigned by Corinthians12 October16th Daniel Paulista13 OctoberSanta Cruz DorivaResigned20 October19th Adriano Teixeira20 OctoberFluminense Levir CulpiSacked6 November9th Marcão6 NovemberInternacional Celso RothSacked17 November17th Lisca18 NovemberSão Paulo Ricardo GomesSacked23 November13th Pintado23 NovemberAtlético Mineiro Marcelo OliveiraSacked24 November4th Diogo Giacomini24 NovemberChapecoense Caio JúniorFatal airplane accident29 November9th Vagner Mancini9 December
Foreign players The clubs can have a maximum of five foreign players in their Campeonato Brasileiro squads.
Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Player 5 Double Nationality Players América Mineiro Eisner Loboa Atlético Mineiro Jesús Dátolo Lucas Pratto Frickson Erazo Juan Cazares Rómulo Otero Bruno Pereirinha Oscar Cabezas Luciano Cabral Lucho González Botafogo Joel Carli Damián Lizio Gervasio Núñez Chapecoense Alejandro Martinuccio Corinthians Ángel Romero Fabián Balbuena Coritiba César Benítez Jorge Ortega César González Colin Kazim-Richards Nery Bareiro Fábio Braga1 Cruzeiro Giorgian De Arrascaeta Ariel Cabral Lucas Romero Ramón Ábila Figueirense Michael Ortega Flamengo Paolo Guerrero Gustavo Cuéllar Alejandro Donatti Lucas Mugni Emerson1 Fluminense Alexis Rojas Claudio Aquino Grêmio Miller Bolaños Walter Kannemann Internacional Nico López Luis Seijas Ariel Nahuelpán Yonatthan Rak Palmeiras Lucas Barrios Agustín Allione Yerry Mina Ponte Preta Santa Cruz Matías Pisano Santos Edwin Valencia Diederrick Joel Emiliano Vecchio Fabián Noguera São Paulo Diego Lugano Eugenio Mena Christian Cueva Andrés Chávez Julio Buffarini Sport Oswaldo Henríquez Reinaldo Lenis Rodney Wallace Luis Carlos Ruiz Vitória Rodrigo Ramallo Sherman Cárdenas
1 Players holding Brazilian dual nationality.
Standings
League table
Positions by round
Result table
Season statistics
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Diego SouzaSport14 FredAtlético Mineiro William PottkerPonte Preta2 GrafiteSanta Cruz135 RobinhoAtlético Mineiro12 Gabriel JesusPalmeiras SassáBotafogo MarinhoVitória9 Ricardo OliveiraSantos1110 Vitor BuenoSantos10 Bruno RangelChapecoense Jonathan CopeteSantos KenoSanta Cruz
Assists TotalPlayerClub10 Gustavo ScarpaFluminense DuduPalmeiras9 Giorgian De ArrascaetaCruzeiro8 Diego RenanVitória RobinhoAtlético Mineiro7 ÉvertonFlamengo KenoSanta Cruz6 Cleiton XavierPalmeiras JuanCoritiba RobinhoCruzeiro CamiloBotafogo Ángel RomeroCorinthians MarinhoVítoria ParáFlamengo Diego SouzaSport
Hat-tricks Player For Against Result Date Bruno Rangel Chapecoense Coritiba 4–3 1 June Sassá Botafogo América-MG 3–1 15 June Rafael Sóbis Cruzeiro Internacional 4–2 4 August
Clean sheets RankPlayerClubCleansheets1 Marcelo GroheGrêmio15
Awards Team of the Year Player Team Jailson Palmeiras Jean Palmeiras Pedro Geromel Grêmio Yerry Mina Palmeiras Jorge Flamengo Tchê Tchê Palmeiras Moisés Palmeiras Diego Flamengo Dudu Palmeiras Robinho Atlético Mineiro Gabriel Jesus Palmeiras