Ba-Vi, Salvador’s searing derby, and Bahia’s fight to keep pace | OneFootball

In Salvador, passion is fiercer than elsewhere, especially for Ba-Vi, among Brazil’s hottest derbies. In Bahia, though, football lacks the resources to keep pace with Rio de Janeiro’s clubs.

The word Ba-Vi, short and sharp, is heard across the city like a stamp of identity. According to L'Équipe, simply uttering those two syllables jolts residents into memories and debate.

At the Barra lighthouse, a juice-seller setting up her cart says everyone there has a story about it, and that the rivalry feels ingrained in local culture. The lighthouse sits in Brazil’s first capital, before Rio then Brasilia.

Supporters of Esporte Club Bahia have rediscovered ambition after City Group bought the club in 2023.

The fervour is undimmed, and the Ba-Vi label echoes across Salvador, a reminder of football’s hold on the city.

Source: L'Équipe