# 2016 Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas season

The 2016 season saw the return of Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas to the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, after spending 2015 in Série B.

## Background

After a poor 2014 season saw Botafogo relegated for only the second time in their history, Botafogo comfortably won the 2015 Série B.

## Match results
### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Preseason

| Date | Opponents | H/A | Result | Scorers | Attendance |
| 23 January 2016 | Desportiva Ferroviária | A | 1–2 | Gegê | 2,479 |

### Campeonato Carioca
#### Group stage

| Date | Opponents | H/A | Result | Scorers | Attendance |
| 30 January 2016 | Bangu | A | 2–0 | Gervasio Núñez, Renan Fonseca | 1,647 |
| 2 February 2016 | Portuguesa | H | 2–1 | Damián Lizio | 1,273 |
| 10 February 2016 | Macaé | H | 1–0 | Gervasio Núñez | 1,112 |
| 13 February 2016 | Resende | A | 1–0 | Luís Henrique | 2,507 |
| 21 February 2016 | Cabofriense | H | 2–1 | Luís Henrique, Neílton | 2,398 |
| 24 February 2016 | Fluminense | H | 2–0 | Gegê, Ribamar | 9,838 |
| 28 February 2016 | Vasco da Gama | A | 1–1 | Emerson | 7,921 |
| 6 March 2016 | Boavista | A | 1–0 | Fernandes | 1,128 |
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Botafogo | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 3 | +9 | 22 | Taça Guanabara |
| 2 | Flamengo | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 4 | +15 | 19 | Taça Guanabara |
| 3 | Volta Redonda | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 10 | +3 | 13 | Taça Guanabara |
| 4 | Madureira | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 12 | Taça Guanabara |
| 5 | America | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 11 | Taça Rio |

#### Taça Guanabara

| Date | Opponents | H/A | Result | Scorers | Attendance |
| 13 March 2016 | Fluminense | A | 1–1 | Ribamar | 4,378 |
| 20 March 2016 | Madureira | H | 1–0 | Bruno Silva | 996 |
| 27 March 2016 | Vasco da Gama | A | 0–1 | | 6,483 |
| 30 March 2016 | Volta Redonda | H | 2–0 | Rodrigo Lindoso, Joel Carli | 905 |
| 2 April 2016 | Flamengo | H | 2–2 | Joel Carli, Rodrigo Lindoso | 16,150 |
| 10 April 2016 | Bangu | H | 1–0 | Rodrigo Lindoso | 1,509 |
| 17 April 2016 | Boavista | A | 1–0 | Leandro | 2,700 |
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Vasco da Gama | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 2 | +6 | 17 | Taça GB champions and Semifinals |
| 2 | Fluminense | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 3 | +7 | 14 | Advanced in Semifinals |
| 3 | Botafogo | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 14 | Advanced in Semifinals |
| 4 | Flamengo | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 4 | +6 | 12 | Advanced in Semifinals |
| 5 | Volta Redonda | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 8 | −2 | 8 | Taça Rio |

#### Final stage

| Match | Date | Opponents | H/A | Result | Scorers | Attendance |
| Semifinal | 24 April 2016 | Fluminense | A | 1–0 | Ribamar | 3,562 |
| Final - first leg | 1 May 2016 | Vasco da Gama | H | 0–1 | | 37,207 |
| Final - second leg | 8 May 2016 | Vasco da Gama | H | 1–1$^{[a]}$ | Leandro | 53,634 |
$^{a-VascodaGamawonthefinal2–1onaggregate}$

### Copa do Brasil

| Round | Date | Opponents | H/A | Result | Scorers | Attendance |
| First round | 5 April 2016 | Coruripe | A | 1–0 | Luís Henrique | 1,077 |
| First round | 28 April 2016 | Coruripe | H | 1–1 | Sassá | 211 |
| Second round | 12 May 2016 | Juazeirense | A | 2–1 | Neílton, Emerson Silva | 2,763 |
| Second round | 19 May 2016 | Juazeirense | H | 1–0 | Neílton | 377 |
| Third round | 13 July 2016 | Bragantino | A | 2–2 | Dierson, Gervasio Núñez | 1,434 |
| Third round | 27 July 2016 | Bragantino | H | 1–0 | Vinícius Tanquinho | 4,314 |
| Round of 16 | 1 September 2016 | Cruzeiro | H | 2–5 | Sassá, Neílton | 4,491 |
| Round of 16 | 21 September 2016 | Cruzeiro | A | 0–1 | | 10,604 |

### Campeonato Brasileiro Série A

| Week | Date | Opponents | H/A | Result | Scorers | Attendance |
| 1 | 15 May 2016 | São Paulo | H | 0–1 | | 5,465 |
| 2 | 22 May 2016 | Sport | A | 1–1 | Fernandes | 6,117 |
| 3 | 25 May 2016 | Atlético Paranaense | H | 2–1 | Ribamar, Neílton | 4,445 |
| 4 | 29 May 2016 | Fluminense | A | 0–1 | | 4,550 |
| 5 | 1 June 2016 | Cruzeiro | H | 0–1 | | 7,057 |
| 6 | 5 June 2016 | Santos | A | 0–3 | | 16,530 |
| 7 | 12 June 2016 | Vitória | H | 1–1 | Sassá | 2,208 |
| 8 | 15 June 2016 | América | H | 3–1 | Sassá (3) | 1,255 |
| 9 | 19 June 2016 | Corinthians | A | 1–3 | Leandro | 34,747 |
| 10 | 22 June 2016 | Figueirense | H | 0–0 | | 3,012 |
| 11 | 26 June 2016 | Internacional | A | 3–2 | Fernandes, Neilton, Camilo | 21,562 |
| 12 | 30 June 2016 | Atlético Mineiro | A | 3–5 | Sassá, Gervasio Núñez, Bruno Silva | 36,129 |
| 13 | 3 July 2016 | Santa Cruz | H | 2–1 | Sassá, Neilton | 5,423 |
| 14 | 9 July 2016 | Coritiba | A | 0–0 | | 10,922 |
| 15 | 16 July 2016 | Flamengo | H | 3–3 | Diogo Goiano, Neilton, Juan Manuel Salgueiro | 11,692 |
| 16 | 24 July 2016 | Chapecoense | A | 1–2 | Camilo | 7,013 |
| 17 | 31 July 2016 | Palmeiras | H | 3–1 | Neilton (2), Camilo | 8,477 |
| 18 | 4 August 2016 | Ponte Preta | A | 0–2 | | 5,050 |
| 20 | 14 August 2016 | São Paulo | A | 1–0 | Sassá | 14,399 |
| 21 | 20 August 2016 | Sport | H | 3–0 | Sassá (2), Camilo | 4,771 |
| 22 | 29 August 2016 | Atlético Paranaense | A | 0–1 | | 11,453 |
| 19 | 4 September 2016 | Grêmio | H | 2–1 | Camilo, Sassá | 5,199 |
| 23 | 7 September 2016 | Fluminense | H | 1–0 | Neílton | 10,156 |
| 24 | 11 September 2016 | Cruzeiro | A | 2–0 | Canales, Camilo | 26,611 |
| 25 | 14 September 2016 | Santos | H | 0–1 | | 11,883 |
| 26 | 18 September 2016 | Vitória | A | 1–0 | Rodrigo Pimpão | 9,900 |
| 27 | 24 September 2016 | América | A | 0–1 | | 1,789 |
| 28 | 1 October 2016 | Corinthians | H | 2–0 | Neílton, Diogo Goiano | 9,123 |
| 29 | 9 October 2016 | Figueirense | A | 1–0 | Bruno Silva | 12,325 |
| 30 | 12 October 2016 | Internacional | H | 1–0 | Sassá | 10,176 |
| 31 | 16 October 2016 | Atlético Mineiro | H | 3–2 | Bruno Silva, Rodrigo Pimpão, Dudu Cearense | 14,595 |
| 32 | 19 October 2016 | Santa Cruz | A | 1–0 | Rodrigo Pimpão | 3,480 |
| 33 | 29 October 2016 | Coritiba | H | 0–0 | | 15,170 |
| 34 | 5 November 2016 | Flamengo | A | 0–0 | | 49,382 |
| 35 | 16 November 2016 | Chapecoense | H | 0–2 | | 10,170 |
| 36 | 20 November 2016 | Palmeiras | A | 0–1 | | 39,690 |
| 37 | 26 November 2016 | Ponte Preta | H | 1–1 | Sassá | 12,069 |
| 38 | 11 December 2016 | Grêmio | A | 1–0 | Bruno Silva | 14,101 |

## Squad statistics

Statistics accurate as at the end of the 2016 season
| Pos. | Nat. | Name | Total | Total | Série A | Série A | Campeonato Carioca | Campeonato Carioca | Copa do Brasil | Copa do Brasil |
| Pos. | Nat. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | | Helton Leite | 11 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| GK | | Sidão | 35 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| GK | | Jefferson | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| DF | | Diego | 16 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| DF | | Diogo Goiano | 45 | 2 | 26 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| DF | | Emerson Santos | 43 | 1 | 30 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| DF | | Emerson | 31 | 1 | 21 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| DF | | Joel Carli | 30 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| DF | | Luis Ricardo | 38 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| DF | | Marcelo Conceição | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DF | | Marcinho | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| DF | | Renan Fonseca | 34 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| DF | | Victor Luis | 26 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| DF | | Igor Rabello | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| DF | | Jean | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| MF | | Airton | 33 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| MF | | Alemão | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MF | | Bruno Silva | 51 | 5 | 31 | 4 | 13 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| MF | | Camilo | 30 | 6 | 28 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| MF | | Damián Lizio | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| MF | | Dierson | 10 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| MF | | Dudu Cearense | 16 | 1 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MF | | Fernandes | 32 | 3 | 19 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| MF | | G. Núñez | 33 | 4 | 20 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| MF | | Gegê | 22 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | | Leandro | 30 | 3 | 18 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| MF | | Marquinho | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| MF | | Octávio | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | | Rodrigo Lindoso | 47 | 3 | 25 | 0 | 17 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
| MF | | Lucas Zen | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FW | | Anderson Aquino | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FW | | Gustavo Canales | 11 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| FW | | Geovane Maranhão | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FW | | J. Salgueiro | 29 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| FW | | Luís Henrique | 23 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| FW | | Neilton | 54 | 12 | 35 | 8 | 13 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| FW | | Pachu | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FW | | Ribamar | 32 | 4 | 12 | 1 | 18 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| FW | | Rodrigo Pimpão | 25 | 3 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| FW | | Sassá | 31 | 14 | 26 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| FW | | Vinícius Tanque | 15 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |

## Kits

| Home kit for Campeonato Carioca season | Away kit for Campeonato Carioca season | Third kit for Campeonato Carioca season | Home kit for Campeonato Brasileiro season | Away kit for Campeonato Brasileiro season | Third kit for Campeonato Brasileiro season |
Botafogo began the year wearing uniforms manufactured by Puma. With the Puma deal expiring in April, the club announced in February that a three-year deal had been agreed with Topper with a value believed to be worth over R$40m.

## Awards

* Campeonato Carioca Revelação [Young Player of the Year]: Ribamar

## Venues

As a result of the 2016 Summer Olympics being held in Rio de Janeiro, Botafogo was not able to access their regular home of Estádio Olímpico João Havelange (known as the Estádio Nilton Santos for Botafogo games) during 2016. During the Rio State Championship, Botafogo hosted games at the Estádio São Januário in Rio de Janeiro city; the Estádio de Los Larios in Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro; the Estádio Kléber Andrade in Cariacica, Espírito Santo; the Estádio Mário Helênio in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais; and the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro city. Botafogo's home matches in the first two rounds of the Copa do Brasil were hosted at the Estádio de Los Larios.
Prior to the commencement of the Campeonato Brasileiro, Botafogo and Associação Atlética Portuguesa agreed a deal to play at the Estádio Luso Brasileiro in Ilha do Governador in Rio de Janeiro city with the stadium being known as "Arena Botafogo". Prior to matches being played at the stadium, temporary seating and improvements to the pitch were required. While these renovations took place, matches were played at the Estádio Raulino de Oliveira in Volta Redonda, Rio de Janeiro; the Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha in Brasília; and the Estádio Mário Helênio in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais.