# 2011 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A

The 2011 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A (officially the Brasileirão Petrobras 2011 for sponsorship reasons) was the 55th edition of the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, the top-level of professional football in Brazil. It began on May 21 and was scheduled to end on December 4. Fluminense comes in as the defending champion having won the 2010 season.

## Format

For the ninth consecutive season, the tournament will be played in a double round-robin system. The team with most points will be declared the champion. The bottom-four teams will be relegated for the following season.

### International qualification

The Série A will serve as a qualifier to CONMEBOL's 2012 international tournaments. The top-two teams in the standings will qualify to the Second Stage of the 2012 Copa Libertadores, while the next third and fourth place in the standings will qualify to the First Stage. The next eight best teams in the standings will earn berths to the Second Stage of the 2012 Copa Sudamericana.

## Team information

Vitória, Guarani, Goiás and Grêmio Prudente were relegated to the 2011 Campeonato Brasileiro Série B after finishing in the bottom four spots of the table at the end of the 2010 season. Goiás were relegated to the Série B after eleven seasons of continuous membership in the top football league of Brazil, while Vitória ended a three-year tenure in Série A and Grêmio Prudente ended a two-year appearance. Guarani made their immediate return to the second level.
The four relegated teams were replaced by four 2010 Série B sides. Champions Coritiba, made their immediate return to Série A, runners-up Figueirense, who returned after two years, third placed Bahia, who returned to the top flight after seven seasons at lower levels, and fourth placed América Mineiro, who returned to the league for the first time in eight years.
| Team | Home city | Stadium | Capacity |
| América (MG) | Belo Horizonte | Arena do Jacaré Parque do Sabiá (3 matches) Morenão (one match) | 18,000 50,000 45,000 |
| Atlético Goianiense | Goiânia | Serra Dourada | 50,049 |
| Atlético Mineiro | Belo Horizonte | Arena do Jacaré Ipatingão (4 matches) | 18,000 20,500 |
| Atlético Paranaense | Curitiba | Arena da Baixada | 28,237 |
| Avaí | Florianópolis | Ressacada | 19,000 |
| Bahia | Salvador | Pituaçu | 31,677 |
| Botafogo | Rio de Janeiro | Engenhão São Januário (2 matches) Raulino de Oliveira (one match) | 44,000 22,150 20,255 |
| Ceará | Fortaleza | Presidente Vargas | 20,600 |
| Corinthians | São Paulo | Pacaembu Fonte Luminosa (one match) | 37,952 20,287 |
| Coritiba | Curitiba | Couto Pereira | 38,000 |
| Cruzeiro | Belo Horizonte | Arena do Jacaré Parque do Sabiá (3 matches) Ipatingão (one match) | 18,000 50,000 20,500 |
| Figueirense | Florianópolis | Orlando Scarpelli | 19,069 |
| Flamengo | Rio de Janeiro | Engenhão Moacyrzão (4 matches) | 44,000 15,000 |
| Fluminense | Rio de Janeiro | Engenhão Raulino de Oliveira (3 matches) São Januário (one match) | 44,000 20,255 22,150 |
| Grêmio | Porto Alegre | Olímpico | 45,000 |
| Internacional | Porto Alegre | Beira-Rio | 56,000 |
| Palmeiras | São Paulo | Canindé (10 matches) Pacaembu (6 matches) Prudentão (one match) Teixeirão (one match) Arena Barueri (one match) | 21,004 37,952 44,414 32,936 31,452 |
| Santos | Santos | Vila Belmiro Pacaembu (4 matches) | 21,256 37,952 |
| São Paulo | São Paulo | Morumbi Arena Barueri (one match) Vail Chaves (one match) | 67,428 31,452 19,900 |
| Vasco da Gama | Rio de Janeiro | São Januário Engenhão (3 matches) | 22,150 44,000 |

### Personnel and kits

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| Team | Manager$^1$ | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt main sponsor |
| América (MG) | Givanildo Oliveira | Gabriel Santos | Kanxa | Fiat |
| Atlético Goianiense | Hélio dos Anjos | Márcio | Super Bolla | Cimento Tocantins |
| Atlético Mineiro | Cuca | Réver | Topper | Banco BMG |
| Atlético Paranaense | Antônio Lopes | Paulo Baier | Umbro | Philco |
| Avaí | Toninho Cecílio | William | Fanatic | Intelbras |
| Bahia | Joel Santana | Titi | Lotto | Grupo OAS |
| Botafogo | Caio Júnior | Sebastián Abreu | Fila | Joao Fortes Engenharia |
| Ceará | Dimas Filgueiras | Fabrício | Penalty | Neo Química Genéricos |
| Corinthians | Tite | Alessandro | Nike | Neo Química Genéricos |
| Coritiba | Marcelo Oliveira | Pereira | Lotto | Banco BMG |
| Cruzeiro | Vágner Mancini | Fábio | Reebok | Banco BMG |
| Figueirense | Jorginho | João Paulo | Fila | Taschibra |
| Flamengo | Vanderlei Luxemburgo | Ronaldinho | Olympikus | Procter & Gamble |
| Fluminense | Abel Braga | Fred | Adidas | Unimed |
| Grêmio | Celso Roth | Fábio Rochemback | Topper | Banrisul |
| Internacional | Dorival Júnior | Bolívar | Reebok | Banrisul |
| Palmeiras | Luiz Felipe Scolari | Marcos Assunção | Adidas | Fiat |
| Santos | Muricy Ramalho | Edu Dracena | Umbro | Banco BMG |
| São Paulo | Émerson Leão | Rogério Ceni | Reebok | Banco BMG |
| Vasco da Gama | Ricardo Gomes/Cristóvão Borges | Juninho Pernambucano | Penalty | Eletrobras |
* $^1$ According to current revision League managers

### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Replaced by | Date of appointment |
| Santos | Adílson Batista | Sacked | February 27 | Pre-season | Muricy Ramalho | April 8 |
| Fluminense | Muricy Ramalho | Resigned | March 13 | Pre-season | Abel Braga | June 8 |
| Ceará | Dimas Filgueiras | Contract ended | March 31 | Pre-season | Vágner Mancini | April 1 |
| Atlético Goianiense | Renê Simões | Sacked | April 1 | Pre-season | Paulo César Gusmão | April 3 |
| Atlético Paranaense | Geninho | Sacked | April 4 | Pre-season | Adílson Batista | April 5 |
| Internacional | Celso Roth | Sacked | April 8 | Pre-season | Falcão | April 14 |
| Bahia | Vágner Benazzi | Sacked | April 10 | Pre-season | Renê Simões | April 14 |
| Avaí | Silas | Left to sign with Al-Arabi | June 8 | 20th | Alexandre Gallo | June 14 |
| Cruzeiro | Cuca | Sacked | June 19 | 18th | Joel Santana | June 20 |
| Grêmio | Renato Gaúcho | Sacked | June 30 | 12th | Júlio Camargo | July 2 |
| Atlético Paranaense | Adílson Batista | Sacked | July 2 | 20th | Renato Gaúcho | July 4 |
| São Paulo | Paulo César Carpegiani | Sacked | July 7 | 3rd | Adílson Batista | July 16 |
| América (MG) | Mauro Fernandes | Sacked | July 11 | 18th | Antônio Lopes | July 12 |
| Internacional | Falcão | Sacked | July 18 | 8th | Dorival Júnior | August 12 |
| Atlético Goianiense | Paulo César Gusmão | Personal problems | July 21 | 17th | Hélio dos Anjos | August 12 |
| América (MG) | Antônio Lopes | Resigned | August 1 | 20th | Givanildo Oliveira | August 2 |
| Grêmio | Júlio Camargo | Sacked | August 4 | 15th | Celso Roth | August 4 |
| Atlético Mineiro | Dorival Júnior | Sacked | August 7 | 14th | Cuca | August 8 |
| Avaí | Alexandre Gallo | Sacked | August 18 | 19th | Toninho Cecílio | August 22 |
| Vasco da Gama | Ricardo Gomes | Health problems (temporarily) | August 28 | 4th | Cristóvão Borges (caretaker) | August 29 |
| Atlético Paranaense | Renato Gaúcho | Resigned | September 1 | 19th | Antônio Lopes | September 1 |
| Cruzeiro | Joel Santana | Sacked | September 2 | 11th | Emerson Ávila | September 2 |
| Bahia | René Simões | Sacked | September 2 | 16th | Joel Santana | September 4 |
| Ceará | Vágner Mancini | Sacked | September 11 | 15th | Estevam Soares | September 14 |
| Cruzeiro | Emerson Ávila | Sacked | September 26 | 16th | Vágner Mancini | September 26 |
| São Paulo | Adílson Batista | Sacked | October 16 | 6th | Émerson Leão | October 24 |
| Ceará | Estevam Soares | Sacked | October 23 | 17th | Dimas Filgueiras | October 24 |
| Avaí | Toninho Cecílio | Sacked | November 14 | 20th | Edson Neguinho (caretaker) | November 14 |
| Botafogo | Caio Júnior | Sacked | November 17 | 5th | Flavio Tenius (caretaker) | November 17 |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Corinthians (C) | 38 | 21 | 8 | 9 | 53 | 36 | +17 | 71 | 2012 Copa Libertadores Second Stage |
| 2 | Vasco da Gama | 38 | 19 | 12 | 7 | 57 | 40 | +17 | 69 | 2012 Copa Libertadores Second Stage |
| 3 | Fluminense | 38 | 20 | 3 | 15 | 60 | 51 | +9 | 63 | 2012 Copa Libertadores Second Stage |
| 4 | Flamengo | 38 | 15 | 16 | 7 | 59 | 47 | +12 | 61 | 2012 Copa Libertadores First Stage |
| 5 | Internacional | 38 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 57 | 43 | +14 | 60 | 2012 Copa Libertadores First Stage |
| 6 | São Paulo | 38 | 16 | 11 | 11 | 57 | 46 | +11 | 59 | 2012 Copa Sudamericana Second Stage |
| 7 | Figueirense | 38 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 46 | 45 | +1 | 58 | 2012 Copa Sudamericana Second Stage |
| 8 | Coritiba | 38 | 16 | 9 | 13 | 57 | 41 | +16 | 57 | 2012 Copa Sudamericana Second Stage |
| 9 | Botafogo | 38 | 16 | 8 | 14 | 52 | 49 | +3 | 56 | 2012 Copa Sudamericana Second Stage |
| 10 | Santos | 38 | 15 | 8 | 15 | 55 | 55 | 0 | 53 | 2012 Copa Libertadores Second Stage |
| 11 | Palmeiras | 38 | 11 | 17 | 10 | 43 | 39 | +4 | 50 | 2012 Copa Sudamericana Second Stage |
| 12 | Grêmio | 38 | 13 | 9 | 16 | 49 | 57 | −8 | 48 | 2012 Copa Sudamericana Second Stage |
| 13 | Atlético Goianiense | 38 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 50 | 45 | +5 | 48 | 2012 Copa Sudamericana Second Stage |
| 14 | Bahia | 38 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 43 | 49 | −6 | 46 | 2012 Copa Sudamericana Second Stage |
| 15 | Atlético Mineiro | 38 | 13 | 6 | 19 | 50 | 60 | −10 | 45 | |
| 16 | Cruzeiro | 38 | 11 | 10 | 17 | 48 | 51 | −3 | 43 | |
| 17 | Atlético Paranaense | 38 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 38 | 55 | −17 | 41 | Relegation to Série B |
| 18 | Ceará | 38 | 10 | 9 | 19 | 47 | 64 | −17 | 39 | Relegation to Série B |
| 19 | América Mineiro | 38 | 8 | 13 | 17 | 51 | 69 | −18 | 37 | Relegation to Série B |
| 20 | Avaí | 38 | 7 | 10 | 21 | 45 | 75 | −30 | 31 | Relegation to Série B |
* ↑ Vasco da Gama is qualified for the second stage of the 2012 Copa Libertadores as the 2011 Copa do Brasil champion.
* ↑ Santos is qualified for the second stage of the 2012 Copa Libertadores as the 2011 Copa Libertadores champion.

## Results

| Home \ Away | AMG | ACG | CAM | CAP | AVA | BAH | BOT | CEA | COR | CTB | CRU | FIG | FLA | FLU | GRE | INT | PAL | SAN | SPA | VAS |
| América Mineiro | | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 |
| Atlético Goianiense | 5–1 | | 1–0 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 0–1 |
| Atlético Mineiro | 2–0 | 2–2 | | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–4 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 |
| Atlético Paranaense | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | | 0–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 |
| Avaí | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–0 | | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 |
| Bahia | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–2 | | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 4–3 | 0–2 |
| Botafogo | 4–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | | 4–0 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 4–0 |
| Ceará | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 3–0 | 2–2 | | 0–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 |
| Corinthians | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 5–0 | 2–1 |
| Coritiba | 3–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 5–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–4 | 5–1 |
| Cruzeiro | 0–0 | 3–2 | 6–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | | 2–4 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–3 |
| Figueirense | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 |
| Flamengo | 2–1 | 1–4 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 5–1 | 0–0 | | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 |
| Fluminense | 1–2 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | | 5–4 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 |
| Grêmio | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 2–1 | | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 |
| Internacional | 4–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | | 2–2 | 3–3 | 0–3 | 3–0 |
| Palmeiras | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–3 | | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 |
| Santos | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 4–5 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | | 1–1 | 2–0 |
| São Paulo | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | | 0–2 |
| Vasco da Gama | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | |
* 1 2 These matches, previously scheduled for July 28 (v. Corinthians), and July 24 (v. Avaí) were delayed to July 14 and July 21, respectively, because of the Audi Cup 2011.
* 1 2 3 These matches previously scheduled for July 17 were postponed to July 20, because of the Brazil v Paraguay, by 2011 Copa América.
* 1 2 3 4 5 These matches previously scheduled for June 18 (v. Corinthians), June 26 (v. América), July 7 (v. Fluminense), July 24 (v. Grêmio), and September 4 (v. Botafogo) were postponed to August 10, July 2, August 24, October 5 and October 19, respectively, because of the 2011 Copa Libertadores Finals, 2011 Copa América, 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup, and friendly Brazil v Ghana.

## Top goalscorers

| Rank | Name | Nationality | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Borges | Brazilian | Santos | 23 |
| 2 | Fred | Brazilian | Fluminense | 22 |
| 3 | Deivid | Brazilian | Flamengo | 15 |
| 4 | Leandro Damião | Brazilian | Internacional | 14 |
| 4 | Ronaldinho | Brazilian | Flamengo | 14 |
| 4 | William | Brazilian | Avaí | 14 |
| 7 | Sebastián Abreu | Uruguayan | Botafogo | 13 |
| 7 | Kempes | Brazilian | América-MG | 13 |
| 7 | Neymar | Brazilian | Santos | 13 |
| 10 | Anselmo | Brazilian | Atlético Goianiense | 12 |
| 10 | Liédson | Portuguese | Corinthians | 12 |
| 10 | Walter Montillo | Argentine | Cruzeiro | 12 |
| 10 | Thiago Neves | Brazilian | Flamengo | 12 |