2016 Brasileirão preview

Is it really that time again?

It seems like only yesterday that we were ushering the 2015 Brasileirão into the sweet hereafter, yet here we are, plunging headlong towards the watering hole once more.

The 2016 version gets underway this weekend, promising the usual blend of thrills, spills and financial ills. Sure, there are two major international tournaments and the Europan transfer window right in the middle of the season, but we can work around that, right? Right?!

I've previewed the Série A season for WhoScored, roughly separating the likely title contenders, midtable cloggers and relegation scrappers. Remember, you can my read match previews and features on the WhoScored site throughout the campaign.

Dilma and futebol: How Rousseff's impeachment could have consequences for the club game in Brazil

If you've had even half an eye on the political situation in Brazil over the last few months, you'll know that things are messy in the extreme. From a rumbling corruption scandal to members of the country's powerful elite calling for a return to military rule (no, really), barely an hour seems to go by without some reason to sink one's head into one's hands.

When the fog of war clears, history suggests that the fall gal will be Dilma Rousseff, Brazil's first female president, whose approval ratings have tumbled steadily since she was re-elected. Impeachment (at the time of writing at least... the situation seems to change every few minutes) is imminent and the chances of her surviving in the hot seat look ever slimmer.

In the latest issue of When Saturday Comes magazine, I take a look at Dilma's efforts to modernise club football in Brazil. I argue that she has taken reform far more seriously than her predecessors and that the game stands to lose an important ally in the fight for transparency.

Order a copy or get a digital version here.