Athletico lose three starters for key Bahia clash, see line-up | OneFootball

Athletico will have absences for Sunday’s match against Bahia at 7:30 p.m. at Arena da Baixada, in the 28th round of the Brazilian Championship. Coach Odair Hellmann will be without three starters: right-back Gastón Benavídez, midfielder João Cruz, and forward Kevin Viveros.

Gastón Benavídez suffered a muscle injury in his left calf during the derby against Coritiba and is expected to be replaced by Gilberto Moraes. He has become one of the absences for a clash between two teams tied on 46 points in the standings.

João Cruz and Kevin Viveros, meanwhile, are suspended after receiving their third yellow cards. The absences have a direct impact on the attacking unit, as both are among Athletico’s main contributors in goal involvements this season.

Kevin Viveros out for Athletico after call-up

Kevin Viveros’ absence comes at a time when he is enjoying a standout individual run. Called up to the Colombian national team for the first time, the forward is Athletico’s top scorer and also the leading scorer in the 2026 Brazilian Championship.

The No. 9 has 19 goals and four assists this season, with 23 direct goal contributions. João Cruz also ranks among the team’s main attacking names, with five goals and seven key passes.

Without Kevin Viveros, Odair Hellmann is expected to use Vargas as the focal point in attack. The Chilean will have more freedom to move around and take part in the build-up play, while Leozinho appears as another option to complete the attacking trio.

What is Athletico’s lineup for the match against Bahia?

Coach Odair Hellmann is expected to field Furacão with: Mycael; Dantas, Juan Felipe Aguirre and Arthur Dias; Gilberto Moraes, Luiz Gustavo, Jadson and Lucas Esquivel; Stiven Mendoza, Leozinho and Kerwin Vargas.

Match worth a spot in the G-4

The clash with Bahia carries direct weight in the battle for the top places in the Brazilian Championship. Athletico sit in third place with 46 points, the same total as the Bahia side, who are in fourth.

In addition to being level on points, both teams head into the match looking to bounce back. Furacão have gone three rounds without a win and will try to end that run against a direct rival for a place in the next edition of the Copa Libertadores.

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