Neymar and Ronaldo: just two of the big stars in this year's Brasileiro

The dust has barely settled on the major state championships, but already it's time to focus on Brazil's national league – the Campeonato Brasileiro.

The 2008 competition was one of the closest for years but this season could be even tighter.

Nilmar

The Campeonato Brasileiro 2009 got underway this weekend.

League champions São Paulo lost 1-0 away to Fluminense thanks to an early strike from Mauricio.

But there were wins for title contenders Cruzeiro, who saw off Flamengo 2-0 in Belo Horizonte with goals from Kléber and Ramires, and Palmeiras who had to come from behind to beat Coritiba 2-1 in the Palestra Itália with strikes from Willians and Keirrison (his 20th goal in 27 outings this year).

Sport bounce back to beat Flamengo

After five rounds of the Campeonato Brasileiro, Internacional finally failed to win after being held 1-1 away to Cruzeiro.

Magrão had given Inter the lead but Wellington Paulista equalized early in the second-half.

Cruzeiro's Kléber, who was linked with a move to Liverpool last week, was sent off for the third time in the season (twice in the Libertadores).

Atlético Mineiro go top

Celso Roth's revitalization of Atlético Mineiro continued on Sunday with a 3-0 victory over Náutico in Belo Horizonte. The win, plus Internacional's 0-0 draw at home to Vitória, was enough to lift Atlético into pole position on goal difference. Júnior, Diego Tardelli and Márcio Araújo did the damage.

Atlético Mineiro's Carlos Alberto celebrates against Santos

League leaders Atlético Mineiro had to come from behind to beat Santos 3-2 in the Vila Belmiro. And with Internacional slipping up away at Flamengo, Celso Roth's team were able to open up a three point gap at the top.

Neymar scored his first goal in the Brasileiro for Santos on the stroke of half-time.

Obina strikes three times against Corinthians

Corinthians rotund front man, Ronaldo, may have broken a bone in his hand after an awkward fall in Sunday's loss to archrivals Palmeiras.

The former Brazil player was carted off after just 19 minutes in the game in the city of Presidente Prudente.

Adriano celebrates against Corinthians

"O campeão voltou" or ‘the champions are back" was the cry coming from the 28,000 or so who were in the estádio Morumbi to see São Paulo beat an in-form Goiás 3-1.

For most of this season, São Paulo have languished in the wrong half of the table.

Internacional's Taison gets the winner at Goiás

Porto Alegre side, Internacional, stayed top of the Brasileiro after picking up their third win of the season.

Inter had an eye on the Copa do Brasil first leg semi-final meeting with Coritiba on Wednesday, but Taison's 22nd goal of the year was enough to see off Goiás in Goiana.

Early exit for Nelsinho Baptista

Sport Recife became the first side in this season's Campeonato Brasileiro to part company with their coach. On Wednesday, Nelsinho Batista was shown the door after only three rounds in the league. Baptista led the northeast club to glory in the Copa do Brasil in 2008.

Barueri stop Atlético Mineiro

Newly promoted Barueri brought leaders Atlético Mineiro back down to earth with a 4-2 home win. Until Saturday, Celso Roth's team were the only unbeaten side in the top flight. Atlético, though, remain top on goal difference. See the highlights

Internacional moved to 17 points after a 3-0 win against Coritiba.

Marcos Aurélio celebrates after striking against São Paulo

Nilmar's double strike for Inter away at Náutico put the Porto Alegre outfit back in pole position in Brazil's national championship. Earlier in the match, D'Alessandro capped a dismal week when he missed a penalty that could have put Inter in the lead.

Ronaldo, Jorge Henrique and Morais celebrate against Cruzeiro

Celso Roth's Atlético Mineiro were restored to the leadership of the Brasileiro after a scoreless draw away at Vitória. The result ended the Bahia side's 100% record in the Barradão.

Palmeiras had gone top on Saturday after Diego Souza's volley secured the Palestra Itália outfit a 1×0 win over Santo André.

Atlético Mineiro's Renan Oliveira (right)

Palmeiras coach, Muricy Ramalho, made it two 1-0 wins in a row after his side just did even to see off strugglers Sport in Recife. The victory, though, was due to a slice of fortune as Sport's Bruno Telles put through his own net for the game's only goal.

Fernandão celebrates against Corinthians

On Saturday, just two points separated the top three sides in the Brasileiro. But even though Palmeiras were not in action, they stayed top after Internacional lost away at Vitória and São Paulo were held away at strugglers Santo André. Now just three points separate the top five.

A Petkovic brace sinks the leaders

Two goals from Flamengo's Petkovic ended Palmeiras' unbeaten run in the Palestra Itália and cut their lead at the top of the table to just four points.

The Greens dominated for most of the first-half but an excellent dribble and finish by the veteran Petkovic put Fla ahead.

Fred on target for Fluminense against Palmeiras

With just four games remaining in the championship, holders São Paulo went top for the first time this season following their 1-1 draw away to Grêmio on Wednesday and Palmeiras' 1-0 defeat at Fluminense on Sunday.

Almost 67,000 turned up at the Maracanã hoping for a miracle as strugglers Fluminense took on Palmeiras.

Cordeiro, Morais and Sandro celebrate Inter's first vs Palmeiras

Internacional maintained their 100% record with a 2-0 win over a disappointing Palmeiras. With a second leg match vs Flamengo in the Copa do Brasil coming up, Inter rested most of their key players but were still too much for Palmeiras.

Adriano leads Flamengo to victory

Flamengo strolled past strugglers Atlético Paranaense thanks in part to a goal from their returning hero Adriano. The emperor was gifted a free header by a sloppy Atlético defence and Fla went on to win the game 2-1. See the highlights here

Internacional maintained their impressive start to the season with a 2-1 home win against new boys Avaí.

the end of the wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man

Muricy Ramalho has been given the chop by São Paulo. On Friday evening, the coach had a meeting with club president Juvenal Juvêncio were it was decided that Ramalho had no future at the Morumbi. The decision came after São Paulo's exit form the Libertadores after they lost 2-0 at home to Cruzeiro on Thursday.

Champions São Paulo pick up another win

With the season at the halfway stage, just four points separate the top four teams in the Brasileiro.

Palmeiras were held at home 1-1 by a plucky Botafogo. André Lima struck first for the away team. Danilo got the equalizer for the league leaders.

Palmeiras keeper Marcos keeps São Paulo at bay

Muricy Ramalho's return to the estádio Morumbi may have ended in 0-0, but the Palmeiras coach would have been more than pleased with the point against his old team.

With the league's tightest defences on show, the scoreless draw came as no real surprise.

Neto Berola scores Vitória's second against Palmeiras

Palmeiras went down 3-2 away to Vitória but second-placed Internacional failed to take advantage by losing by the same score at home to Cruzeiro.

Goals from Uelliton, Neto Berola and debut boy, Derlei, earned Vitória three deserved points.

More points for Fluminense but has their run come to late?

Wins for São Paulo and Flamengo left them in 1st and 2nd place respectively with just three games to go in the Campeonato Brasiliero.

53,000 turned up at the estádio Morumbi as São Paulo took on Vitória in on Saturday.

The 'biggest fan base in the world' fails to make a difference in the Maracanã

Most of the 83,000 fans in the Maracanã went home hugely disappointed after Flamengo were held 0-0 by Goiás on Sunday evening. With São Paulo losing 3-2 at Botafogo earlier in the day, the way was open for Flamengo to go top for the first time this season.

Ricardo Gomes takes over at São Paulo

São Paulo have wasted no time in replacing Muricy Ramalho and have announced the arrival of Ricardo Gomes.

The 44-year-old coach was most recently with Monaco but has experience with Brazil's Olympic team and clubs such as PSG, Bordeaux, Flamengo and Fluminense.

Diego Souza sports Palmeiras' new third kit

Palmeiras remained top after a 2-1 win over title rivals Internacional in the Palestra Itália. Danny Moraes was adjudged to have stopped Diego Souza inside the box.

Obina converted the penalty to bring his tally to nine in the competition.

São Paulo gift Ronaldo a goal in the Morumbi

A 2-1 victory over strugglers Atlético Paranaense plus São Paulo's and Internacional's failures to win their games has left Palmeiras in a commanding position in the Campeonato Brasileiro.

Chile international Figueroa made the best of his first start for Palmeiras scoring the Green's opener in the Palestra Itália.

A dejeted looking Souza and Marcos as Náutico thrash the leaders 3-0

Despite a shock 3-0 loss at strugglers Náutico, Palmeiras remain five points clear at the top of the Brasileiro with nine games to go. As usual when the Palestra Itália outfit slip up, none of their main rivals were able to take advantage as no one in the top five managed to win.

Rogério Ceni scores then gets sent off against Santos

Three losses in a row has suddenly left Palmeiras' championship chances in grave doubt. The latest defeat came away at strugglers Santo André on Wednesday. The result provided another opportunity for Palmeiras' rivals to make ground on the leaders.

Flamengo on top for the first time this season

Flamengo, Internacional, Palmeiras or São Paulo could take Brazil's national championship when it comes to an end next weekend. Fla now lead the way but with only two points separating the top four, it's anybody's guess where the title will end up.

Joy for Ronaldo Angelim and Flamengo

Brazil's biggest club, Flamengo, picked up their first Campeonato Brasileiro since 1992 after they saw off Grêmio 2-1 in Rio on Sunday.

Flamengo strode on to the pitch at the Maracanã to a marvellous atmosphere created by almost 85,000 fans confident that the Rubro Negros would end the day as champions.