Red Bull Bragantino and Internacional face off this Sunday (31) at Estádio Cícero de Souza Marques, in Bragança Paulista, in the 18th round of the Brazilian Championship.
The match marks the teams’ final commitment in the competition before the calendar is paused for the 2026 World Cup.
How the teams arrive
The two sides take the field with very different goals in the standings, reflecting their current form this season:
RB Bragantino: They sit in 5th place with 26 points. Their current focus is staying in the G-6 (the Libertadores qualification zone). The team comes into the match on the back of three straight wins, the latest of them in the Copa Sudamericana.
Internacional: They are in 13th place with 21 points. Their immediate goal is to pick up points and move clear of the relegation zone once and for all. The team from Rio Grande do Sul is looking to bounce back after a 2-0 defeat to Vitória in the previous round.
Under Vagner Mancini, Massa Bruta want to make the most of their good form and home support to cement their place among the frontrunners. Colorado, coached by Paulo Pezzolano, see the clash as crucial to turning things around, securing three points, and heading into the World Cup break with more peace of mind.
Lineups
Red Bull Bragantino
Unavailable: Rodriguinho and Henry Mosquera (suspended); Andres Hurtado (called up); Davi Gomes, Ryan, Matheus Fernandes, Eduardo and Fabinho (injured); Fabrício and Guzman Rodríguez (recovering fitness).
One booking away from suspension: Andres Hurtado, Gabriel, Isidro Pitta, Juninho Capixaba and Matheus Fernandes.
Internacional
On Internacional’s side, the main news is the return of Colombian winger Carbonero, who served his suspension and comes in for the sent-off Bernabei. Up front, Alerrandro faces his former club, hoping the famous “former player rule” comes into play.
Unavailable: Bernabei (suspended); Rochet and Félix Torres (called up); Alan Rodríguez (injured).
One booking away from suspension: Bruno Gomes, Matheus Bahia and head coach Paulo Pezzolano.
Refereeing
Main Referee: Alex Gomes Stefano (RJ)
Assistants: Thiago Henrique Neto Correa Farinha (RJ) and Luiz Claudio Regazone (RJ)
Fourth Official: Léo Simão Holanda (CE)
VAR: Pablo Ramon Goncalves Pinheiro (RN)
Competition: Brazilian Série A Championship (Round 18)
Date and Time: Sunday, May 31, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.
Venue: Estádio Cícero de Souza Marques, Bragança Paulista (SP)
Broadcast: Premiere
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.