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RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - The Brazilian championship kicks off this weekend with an added incentive of being the main focus for the country's leading clubs as only one of them remain involved in the Libertadores Cup.
Santos are Brazil's final contenders for the South American club title having reached the semi-finals after the shock elimination in the round of 16 of holders Internacional, favourites Cruzeiro, Brazilian champions Fluminense and Gremio.
Widely considered Brazil's strongest team, Santos face the tricky challenge of making a good start to the national competition and maintaining a Libertadores Cup campaign with the prospect of losing their strongest players to the national side for the Copa America in Argentina in July.
Teenage prodigy Neymar is a certainty for the Copa America, Elano is playing well enough to be selected and playmaker Paulo Henrique Ganso will also be involved if he recovers from a thigh injury in time.
The potential loss of the trio on the pitch will be compensated on the bench by coach Muricy Ramalho, whose title-winning campaign at Fluminense last year was his fourth in five years after steering Sao Paulo to three in a row.
The majority of the leading teams will lose at least one of their best players to the Brazil squad for the Copa America and there will be no recess during the tournament.
Champions Fluminense had captain Fred included in Brazil's 28-man preliminary Copa squad on Thursday, as were striker Leandro Damiao of Internacional, Sao Paulo's Lucas, midfielder Thiago Neves of Flamengo and Cruzeiro goalkeeper Fabio.
Internacional are also likely to lose midfielder Mario Bolatti to the Argentina squad for the tournament.
The championship welcomes back former world footballer of the year Ronaldinho but the Flamengo forward will have to show more than he did in the Carioca (Rio) state championship to convince fans he is still a key player.
Ronaldinho, promoted to Flamengo captain, has disappointed fans so far and looks well short of the form that could earn him a recall to the Brazil side for the 2014 World Cup finals on home soil.
(Writing by Rex Gowar in Buenos Aires; Editing by John O'Brien; to query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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Santos are Brazil's final contenders for the South American club title having reached the semi-finals after the shock elimination in the round of 16 of holders Internacional, favourites Cruzeiro, Brazilian champions Fluminense and Gremio.
Widely considered Brazil's strongest team, Santos face the tricky challenge of making a good start to the national competition and maintaining a Libertadores Cup campaign with the prospect of losing their strongest players to the national side for the Copa America in Argentina in July.
Teenage prodigy Neymar is a certainty for the Copa America, Elano is playing well enough to be selected and playmaker Paulo Henrique Ganso will also be involved if he recovers from a thigh injury in time.
The potential loss of the trio on the pitch will be compensated on the bench by coach Muricy Ramalho, whose title-winning campaign at Fluminense last year was his fourth in five years after steering Sao Paulo to three in a row.
The majority of the leading teams will lose at least one of their best players to the Brazil squad for the Copa America and there will be no recess during the tournament.
Champions Fluminense had captain Fred included in Brazil's 28-man preliminary Copa squad on Thursday, as were striker Leandro Damiao of Internacional, Sao Paulo's Lucas, midfielder Thiago Neves of Flamengo and Cruzeiro goalkeeper Fabio.
Internacional are also likely to lose midfielder Mario Bolatti to the Argentina squad for the tournament.
The championship welcomes back former world footballer of the year Ronaldinho but the Flamengo forward will have to show more than he did in the Carioca (Rio) state championship to convince fans he is still a key player.
Ronaldinho, promoted to Flamengo captain, has disappointed fans so far and looks well short of the form that could earn him a recall to the Brazil side for the 2014 World Cup finals on home soil.
(Writing by Rex Gowar in Buenos Aires; Editing by John O'Brien; to query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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