Brasileirão round 32 preview: Palmeiras can go top before Flamengo host Atlético-MG

After Friday night's opener in Belo Horizonte, nine matches remain in round 32, and the order of play gives Palmeiras the first move. They reached the Libertadores final on Wednesday, the night before Flamengo went out, are a point behind Flamengo in the league and host RB Bragantino on Saturday; a win would put them top until Flamengo host sixth-placed Atlético-MG at the Maracanã on Monday night. At the bottom, Vasco da Gama, fifteenth, play Corinthians, sixteenth and two points behind them, at São Januário, while Internacional and Grêmio, seventeenth and eighteenth, are both in the bottom four going into the weekend.

Saturday

Internacional v Botafogo (19:30 UTC, Beira-Rio). Internacional are seventeenth on 32 and lost 2–0 at Mirassol after Matheus Cunha was sent off on 15; they have won four of fifteen at home. Lance reports that Eduardo Baptista is without the suspended Matheus Cunha, Mercado and Villagra. Botafogo, eleventh on 39, beat Chapecoense 1–0 with Tiquinho Soares's goal on 7 and have won four of fifteen away. April's meeting, at Botafogo, ended 2–2; Internacional won 2–0 at home in October 2025.

Mirassol v São Paulo (19:30 UTC, José Maria de Campos Maia). Mirassol, fourteenth on 36, beat Internacional 2–0 with goals from Carlos Eduardo and André Luis. São Paulo, ninth on 42, have won two in a row, the last 1–0 against Vasco, but have won two of fifteen away. São Paulo won April's meeting 1–0 at home; before that Mirassol won 3–0 at home in October 2025 and 2–0 away in May 2025.

Vitória v Atlético Paranaense (19:30 UTC, Barradão). Vitória, thirteenth on 37, drew 1–1 at Corinthians and have won ten of fifteen at home, but none of sixteen away. Atlético Paranaense, third on 53, lost 2–0 at home to Palmeiras. The sides met twice in the Copa do Brasil in August, each winning at home, 2–0 to Atlético Paranaense and 4–0 to Vitória; Atlético Paranaense won April's league meeting 3–1 at home.

Palmeiras v RB Bragantino (21:30 UTC). Palmeiras, second on 66, won 2–0 in Curitiba with goals from Maurício on 6 and Joaquín Piquerez on 10, although Andreas Pereira was sent off on 43. They have won three in a row, are unbeaten in eight and have lost one of fifteen at home. On Wednesday they reached the Libertadores final, beating Fluminense on penalties after losing the second leg 1–0 at home; Lance reports that Paulinho has a right calf injury and no date for his return. RB Bragantino, tenth on 41, drew 1–1 at Remo and have won four of sixteen away. Palmeiras are unbeaten in the last five meetings: they won 1–0 away in April, 5–1 at home in October 2025 and 2–1 away in May 2025.

Vasco da Gama v Corinthians (21:30 UTC, São Januário). Vasco, fifteenth on 35 with a match in hand, lost 1–0 at São Paulo and were knocked out of the Copa Sul-Americana by Boca Juniors on Tuesday; coach Pedro Emanuel called Saturday "a fundamental match for us", and Lance reports that Colidio and Andrés Gómez return. Corinthians, sixteenth on 33, drew 1–1 with Vitória on Monday through Yuri Alberto's penalty, ending a run of eight league defeats. Clarence Seedorf watched that match from the stands while his registration went through; Lance reports he can now sit on the bench for the first time, and that Memphis Depay is out with a thigh injury. Corinthians are unbeaten in five meetings: they won 1–0 at home in April, beat Vasco over two legs in the Copa do Brasil in December 2025 (0–0 and 2–1 away), and won 3–2 away in August 2025.

Chapecoense v Fluminense (22:30 UTC, Arena Condá). Chapecoense are last on 18, with a match in hand, after a 1–0 defeat at Botafogo, their third in a row. Fluminense, fifth on 51, lost 2–1 at home to Santos, then went out of the Libertadores to Palmeiras; Lance reports that defender Julián Millán is out for four to six weeks with a thigh injury. Fluminense won April's meeting 2–1 at home and are unbeaten in the last five.

Santos v Bahia (00:00 UTC Sunday, Vila Belmiro — Saturday night in Brazil). Santos, eighth on 45, came from behind to win 2–1 at Fluminense with goals from Gabriel Barbosa and Philippe Coutinho; Gabriel Barbosa has fifteen, third in the scoring. Bahia, seventh on 49, lost 3–0 at home to Flamengo. April's meeting, at Bahia, ended 2–2, as did the one at Santos in April 2025; Bahia won 2–0 at home in August 2025.

Monday

Coritiba v Grêmio (22:30 UTC, Couto Pereira). Coritiba, twelfth on 39, lost 1–0 at Atlético-MG and have not won in six. Grêmio, eighteenth on 31, lost 4–2 at home to Cruzeiro, with Walter Kannemann sent off on 73; they have not won in seven and have won none of fifteen away. Grêmio won the last three meetings: 1–0 at home in April, 2–1 away in November 2023 and 5–1 at home in June 2023.

Flamengo v Atlético-MG (23:00 UTC, Maracanã). Flamengo, top on 67, won 3–0 at Bahia with goals from Jorginho, from the penalty spot, Gonzalo Plata and Lucas Paquetá; they are unbeaten in eight and have lost one of fifteen at home. Flamengo went out of the Libertadores on Thursday, beaten 3–2 on penalties by Estudiantes after a 0–0 draw at the Maracanã, the club's site reports; Leonardo Jardim said it was not worth "pointing the finger now", Lance reports. Atlético-MG, sixth on 50, beat Coritiba 1–0 with Igor Gomes's goal on 78 and are unbeaten in six, but have won four of fifteen away. Flamengo won April's meeting 4–0 away; the sides drew 1–1 at Atlético-MG in November 2025 and split two Copa do Brasil legs in August 2025.

The table before the weekend

#	Team	P	GD	Pts
1	Flamengo	31	+36	67
2	Palmeiras	31	+32	66
3	Atlético Paranaense	31	+12	53
4	Cruzeiro	31	+4	51
5	Fluminense	31	+10	51
6	Atlético-MG	31	+7	50
7	Bahia	31	+5	49
…
14	Mirassol	31	−8	36
15	Vasco da Gama	30	−7	35
16	Corinthians	31	−7	33
17	Internacional	31	−7	32
18	Grêmio	31	−10	31
19	Remo	31	−15	26
20	Chapecoense	30	−32	18

This is the table before Friday's Cruzeiro v Remo. Flamengo lead Palmeiras by a point with seven rounds left, and Atlético Paranaense in third are thirteen behind Palmeiras. At the bottom, five points separate Mirassol in fourteenth from Grêmio in eighteenth. Vasco da Gama and Chapecoense still have their postponed round 21 match against each other to play.

Numbers to know

• Kevin Viveros of Atlético Paranaense leads the scoring with 21; Pedro of Flamengo has sixteen and Gabriel Barbosa of Santos fifteen.
• Corinthians have not won in nine league matches, Grêmio in seven and Coritiba in six.
• Vitória have won ten of fifteen at home and none of sixteen away; Grêmio have won none of fifteen away.
• Chapecoense have conceded 62, the most in the league; Palmeiras 22, the fewest.

The full round with kick-off times in your time zone is on the Brasileirão page.

Sources for the context: Flamengo, Lance, Lance, Lance, Lance, Lance, Lance, Lance, Lance, Lance, Lance.