Five players who could shape the battle against relegation in the Campeonato Brasileiro

Finally, after over a year of utter dominance, it looked as though Cruzeiro may have company at the top of the Campeonato Brasileiro table. The reigning champions were defeated 2-0 last weekend by São Paulo, who then proceeded to lose to relegation candidates Coritiba, moving back to seven points adrift going into the final three months of the season. However, without wishing to jinx anything before it materialises, we may still have a title race on our hands.

But while things are beginning to simmer at one end of the table, there’s a full-scale battle royale raging at the other. The scrap against relegation could hardly be more dramatic: while Flamengo appear to have done enough to stave off the threat, everyone from Figueirense down will be fighting to the death from here on in.

With margins so small, things really could be settled by a few hardy warriors. For WhoScored, I have picked out five players who could shape the relegation battle in Brazil.

Brazilian football's biggest courtroom dramas

Shameless plug alert, part two:

Also, I have an article in the new edition of @blzzrd https://t.co/G5AHcSUCAk
— Jack Lang (@snap_kaka_pop) September 15, 2014

Available on a pay-what-you-want basis here. 

Meet the new guy, just like the old guy: Brazil's clubs hark back to the past in search of success

Shameless plug ahoy:

Article about the Brazilian managerial old boys' network in the new @WSC_magazine. Out now, all good newsag... https://t.co/dujdHBEBjK
— Jack Lang (@snap_kaka_pop) September 15, 2014

Buy it at your local newsagent or click here to order online.

Fantastic four begin to click for São Paulo

Of all the sides in the Campeonato Brasileiro, none contains more recognisable faces – to European football fans, at least – than São Paulo FC. There's Álvaro Pereira, the Uruguayan wing-back, on the left flank. Former Arsenal midfielder Denílson sits in front of the back four, sniffing out danger and, yes, playing five-yard sideways passes. Luís Fabiano plunders goals and collects red cards like they're going out of fashion. Then there's Rogério Ceni, the goalscoring goalkeeper, who is something of a cult figure in some circles.

Really, though, the team's true star power lies in an attacking quartet that has begun to light up the division in recent weeks. In Kaká, Paulo Henrique Ganso, Alan Kardec and Alexandre Pato, São Paulo could well have found their very own fantastic four, a combination capable of taking them into next season's Libertadores, if not a sustained title challenge (you win again, Cruzeiro).

Read the rest of this piece on the WhoScored website.