Bahia plays a decisive game against Atlético-GO for a place in the Copa Libertadores

After 68 games, Bahia will take the field for the last time in 2024. More than saying goodbye to the season, the duel against Atlético-GO, this Sunday (8), at 4pm, at Fonte Nova, counts for the tricolor the realization of a dream: to return to compete in the Copa Libertadores after 35 years. To do this, the team needs to have more of the football played during the first round, and less of the performance shown in previous rounds.

Despite the ups and downs experienced during the second half of Série A, the team reaches the 38th duel of the Brasileirão in 8th position, within the classification zone for the main tournament on the continent. The bill to guarantee a place in the Libertadores is easy, just beat the already relegated Atlético-GO.

If they don’t get the three points, the Bahian team will have to hope that Cruzeiro doesn’t beat Juventude, at the Alfredo Jaconi stadium, in Caxias do Sul. The fox is in 9th place, with 49 points. Even if they tie on points, the Squadron will have an advantage in the number of victories (14 to 13). Vasco, 10th placed, is also on the outside, but would have to make up a difference of 12 goals in the event of a victory over Cuiabá, which makes the situation practically impossible.

Despite the favorable scenario, Bahia knows that it needs to enter the field concentrated to achieve a positive result. Even with relegation confirmed, Atlético-GO won four of the last six points they played: they drew with Vasco away from home and beat Fortaleza, in Goiânia. Therefore, there is little care.

“We are focused on beating Atlético Goianiense. We know that we only depend on our result and what we have in mind is winning Atlético-GO”, said midfielder Acevedo.

The Uruguayan, who started against Corinthians, does not know if he will remain in the team. Rogério Ceni took advantage of the last few days to carry out tests on the team considered to be the starter and will only release the final line-up minutes before the start of the match. The coach, however, will be forced to make at least one change.

The main doubt is in the goal. Adriel started against Palmeiras, Athletico-PR and Cuiabá, but lost his position to Marcos Felipe against Corinthians. The problem is that Marcos was injured in the first minutes of the game in São Paulo and is out of the last round of the Brasileirão. Adriel is the most likely to take the position, but he lives with criticism and competes for the position with Danilo Fernandes.

Under the command of the interim coach, Atlético-GO comes to Salvador without any goals in the Brasileirão and will have at least two changes compared to the team that beat Fortaleza in the last round. Midfielder Baralhas is suspended and will be out of the match. Full-back Bruno Tubarão announced that he will not remain at the club for the 2025 season and has already said goodbye to the squad.

On the side, in turn, Maguinho will be the starter. Anderson Gomes did not name Baralhas’ replacement and is thinking of at least two possibilities: playing midfielder Gonzalo Freitas, maintaining the team’s structure, or adding another striker to the team to have more offense. In the second scenario, Janderson and Luiz Fernando compete for the position.