Bottom-side Chapecoense face a depleted Sao Paulo in a match defined by rotation and disrupted rhythm. The hosts, winless in ten, must rejig their entire spine with four regular starters missing through injury or suspension, while Sao Paulo's lineup shows nine changes from their…
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Sign inChapecoense will attempt to claim only their second win of the 2026 Serie A season when they welcome São Paulo on Sunday evening. The round 24 encounter pits the league’s bottom side, with a mere 11 points from 22 matches, against a São Paulo team sitting 13th and looking to distance themselves from the lower half.
Chapecoense are in the midst of a severe injury crisis. Max Alves (broken rib) and Bruno Tubarão (thigh) are both ruled out for several weeks, while experienced forward Yannick Bolasie remains sidelined with an abdominal problem. Long-term absentees Carvalheira (cruciate ligament) and Robert (cruciate ligament) will not feature again this season, and João Paulo is also unavailable. The threadbare squad has left the Chape with limited attacking options.
São Paulo also have their own fitness concerns. Head coach Dorival Júnior cannot call upon Lucas Moura (Achilles tendon rupture), Rafael Tolói (hamstring), Damián Bobadilla (knee), or forward Lucca (fracture). Midfielders Marcos Antonio and P. Maia are doubts, while defender L. Ramon is also missing. The visitors will lean on Jonathan Calleri to lead the line, supported by creative players like Artur and Luciano.
Chapecoense’s record makes for grim reading: one win, eight draws, and thirteen defeats, with a -23 goal difference. They have lost four of their last five outings, including a 2-1 defeat at Coritiba and a 2-0 loss to Cruzeiro. The side has conceded 46 times — the worst defensive tally in the division — and has failed to score in three of their last five home matches.
São Paulo’s form has been equally patchy, with the Tricolor collecting no wins in their last five league fixtures (LLDLD). Defensive lapses have been a recurring theme, as they have kept only two clean sheets in their past ten games. However, Dorival Júnior’s men are far from relegation danger and will view this fixture as an opportunity to kick-start a push toward the top half.
With Bolasie and Alves absent, Chapecoense must find goals from elsewhere. Marcinho and G. Augusto are likely to shoulder the creative burden, but the home side’s forward line has lacked sharpness all season. Against a São Paulo backline that has shown fragility — conceding in five of their last six across all competitions — the hosts may sense a rare chance. Calleri, however, will pose a constant threat at the other end, facing a Chapecoense defence that has shipped 46 goals already.
A defeat would keep Chapecoense anchored to the foot of the table, potentially widening the gap to safety to double digits. For São Paulo, three points could lift them as high as 11th and restore belief after a stuttering campaign. With both sides desperate for a turnaround, Sunday’s clash may prove tighter than the standings suggest.
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