On one side of the key, Bahia and Ceará; on the other, CSA and confidence. The difference is huge in every respect: cast, financial power, moment (here is a caveat), the size of the fans… these four teams of the Northeast Cup, which inevitably will have a Serie A team against one of Serie C face to face. But the classic cup has already shown that not always favoritism enters the field.
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Some fans already treat the match between Bahia and Ceará, scheduled for 9:30 pm on Wednesday (Brasília time), at Fonte Nova Arena, as an early final of the Northeast Cup. And they have reasons for that. It is the only two teams of the elite who survived in the competition and campaign in Brasileirão. While Tricolor is the fourth place and consolidates in the fight for Libertadores, Vozão is the 10th and exceeds expectations.
– Single game, a difficult game. Since Rogério (Ceni) arrived there, Bahia is very strong playing at Fonte Nova in Salvador, but we know of our strength also playing away from home. We played great games, more recently with Cruzeiro, with Palmeiras… So, we are able to make a good game there. Let’s go there confident. It is not impossible to get the classification, ”said Leo Condé after the victory against Bragantino.
With the best overall campaign in Nordestão, Bahia is slightly favorite for playing at home and living moment of stability in the season. It is noteworthy that Tricolor has not lost for six games in 2025 and was only defeated once at Lampions, in a game against confidence in the group stage, when they entered an alternative team full of boys.
This can already be a good sign that there is no early final. With the headquarters of the unprecedented title, CSA and Confiança make history in the competition and show that they want to go beyond state titles. Not even that Azulão won this year, including, as the cup was with rival CRB. Certainly the team of Higo Magalhães does not want to go blank.
The Alagoas team does not come well in Serie C, only 10th place and have not won for two matches in the competition, not to mention the elimination for Vasco in the round of 16. Confidence lives on the rise, so he exceptions at the beginning of the text. After a turbulent start of the year, the dragon’s moment is very good, which made Luizinho Vieira’s team reach nine unbeaten games, with three straight victory in Terceiro who put the team in the qualifying zone.
Favoritism does not enter the field in Northeast Cup decisions
In addition to the analysis of the four teams still in dispute, it is necessary to revisit the past to prove that the champion does not necessarily pass the winner between Bahia and Ceará. Tricolor himself knows this well.
Last year, the team trained by Rogério Ceni was widely a favorite against CRB in the Northeast Cup semifinals, but after a 0-0 draw in normal time, Bahia was eliminated by Rooster in the penalties for the frustration of a new source.
Returning even more in time, in 2018, Bahia, the elite team that reached the quarterfinals of South American that year, lost the game of the final to Sampaio Corrêa 1-0 in Maranhão, but still had more than enough credentials to “knead” dear Bolivia in front of a beautiful fans eager to release the two-time champion scream. But in the end came frustration. Sampaio, which would be relegated to Serie C at the end of the season, held 0-0 at the Fonte Nova Arena and secured the unprecedented title.
Vitória itself has proved this bitter taste. In 1998, the Red-Black was runner-up of the Northeast Cup by losing the final to Natal America. Even while winning the first leg 2-1 in Barradão, the red-black did not resist the Machadão Stadium and suffered 3-1 in the return game. Mecão was relegated to Serie B as a flashlight of that year’s Brazilian Championship, while the lion was in the middle of the table.
Already in the current edition of the Northeast Cup, Ceará won from CSA with goal 40 minutes of the second half and tied with Confiança, both games at home. The same confidence that went to Barradão and eliminated Vitória by winning 1-0 in the quarterfinals, a result that overthrew coach Thiago Carpini.
These are just a few cases to show that, on Wednesday, in fact, the semifinals of the Northeast Cup will be played in unique games. The ball rolls in the Fonte Nova Arena and King Pelé at 9:30 pm (from Brasilia). The date of the true final has not yet been set by the CBF.
