What São Paulo need to reach the Copa Libertadores qualifiers | OneFootball

São Paulo defeated Juventude 2-1 this Sunday, at Vila Belmiro, in Santos, during the 35th round of the Brazilian Championship. With the victory, Tricolor reclaimed the eighth position, with 48 points, surpassing Red Bull Bragantino, who were defeated by Flamengo, and continues dreaming of a spot in the Pre-Libertadores.

To achieve this goal, Tricolor is now rooting for Cruzeiro or Fluminense in the Copa do Brasil. Both face Corinthians and Vasco, respectively, in the semifinals, which will only be played after the end of the Brasileirão. If one of them wins the title, the G7 will become G8. In that case, São Paulo would only need to maintain their current position.

However, the race for eighth place is fierce: Bragantino and Corinthians have 45 points, while Atlético-MG is right behind, with 44.

Unlikely Scenario

The most unlikely scenario would be for São Paulo to catch up with Fluminense, currently in seventh place, something that will only be possible if they win against the Rio de Janeiro rival in the next round. If they lose or draw, Tricolor will have no mathematical chance of reaching the Pre-Libertadores via Brasileirão. Flu has 55 points, seven more than São Paulo, with only three rounds and nine points left to play for.

In the event of a São Paulo victory, the scenario would still be challenging. The team would also need to win the final two matches, against Internacional, at Morumbi, and against Vitória, at Barradão, to stay in the race.

Additionally, São Paulo would depend on Fluminense's setbacks, who could only accumulate, at most, two points in the games against Grêmio, at Arena do Grêmio, and Bahia, at Maracanã. If the Rio team wins any of their remaining three matches, the spot slips away.

Next São Paulo Match

Fluminense vs. São Paulo Competition: Brazilian Championship (36th round) Date and Time: November 27, 2025 (Thursday), at 8:30 PM (Brasília time) Venue: Maracanã, in Rio de Janeiro (RJ)

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.