Bahia vs Gremio - prediction, team news, lineups

Bahia and Grêmio conscionable connected Sunday afternoon, May 17 astatine the Casa de Apostas Arena Fonte Nova successful Salvador, successful the 16th circular of the 2026 Brazilian Championship. The lucifer volition beryllium broadcast by TV Globo, GeTV and Premiere.

Bahia person not won successful implicit a period and big a Grêmio broadside who person conscionable slipped into the relegation portion pursuing decision by Flamengo. For some teams, the lucifer carries decisive weight: the hosts privation to adjacent the spread to the apical four, portion the visitors are trying to spark a betterment earlier the interruption for the World Cup. Below are the prediction and afloat investigation of the clash.

Match preview

Bahia get astatine the gathering with Grêmio astatine the lowest constituent of their 2026 season. The Tricolor de Aço person not won successful six matches, a tally that includes defeats to Flamengo, Cruzeiro and Remo — 2 of those successful the Copa bash Brasil — positive draws with Santos and São Paulo.

Their past triumph came connected April 11, erstwhile they bushed Mirassol 2-1 distant successful the 11th circular of the Brasileirão. Since then, the main contented for Rogério Ceni's broadside has been defensive: successful their past 3 matches, the Esquadrão person fallen down successful each game, conceding the opening extremity connected mean aft 21 minutes.

Elimination from the Copa bash Brasil deepened the consciousness of frustration. Remo won some legs of the 5th round, 3-1 successful the archetypal limb astatine the Arena Fonte Nova itself and 2-1 successful the instrumentality astatine the Mangueirão, sealing a 5-2 aggregate. As a result, Bahia are near with lone the Brazilian Championship for the remainder of the season, repeating the storyline of their exit to O'Higgins successful the Copa Libertadores qualifying circular successful February, which besides ended immoderate anticipation of continental football. With nary Copa bash Nordeste owed to the caller CBF regulations, the nine volition play lone 53 matches this twelvemonth — the lowest fig since 2005, the play successful which they were relegated to Série C.

In the Brasileirão, Bahia beryllium sixth with 22 points from 14 matches, and inactive person a postponed fixture against Chapecoense to play. Their run has produced six wins, 4 draws and 4 defeats, with 20 goals scored and 18 conceded.

At home, however, caller signifier is simply a concern: the Tricolor person gone 4 consecutive matches without a triumph astatine the Arena Fonte Nova, with defeats to Palmeiras and Remo and a gully with Santos, conceding 7 goals successful beforehand of their ain supporters during that spell. The measurement of matches successful 2026 is besides good beneath past season's figure, erstwhile the nine played 80 games crossed the Copa bash Nordeste, Libertadores, Sul-Americana and Brasileirão.

The astir caller gathering betwixt the sides, successful the 29th circular of the 2025 Brasileirão, ended successful a 4-0 thrashing for Bahia astatine the Fonte Nova, with goals from Iago, Willian José, David Duarte and Rodrigo Nestor. In the wide head-to-head record, however, Grêmio clasp the advantage: crossed 63 meetings, the Imortal person won 26, the Tricolor de Aço 17, and 20 person ended successful draws.

On the different side, Grêmio get successful Salvador with immoderate affirmative news. The Tricolor Gaúcho bushed Confiança 3-0 distant successful the 2nd limb of the Copa bash Brasil 5th round, sealing their spot successful the past 16 with a comfy 5-0 aggregate. Braithwaite scored twice, 1 from the punishment spot and the different a header from a Willian cross, with Willian himself rounding disconnected the scoring from different penalty.

The progression met 1 of the targets acceptable internally by Luís Castro's coaching staff, who had besides already won the Gauchão earlier successful the play — achievements that were not reached successful 2025.

The concern successful the Brazilian Championship, however, is delicate. Grêmio beryllium 17th, the archetypal presumption wrong the relegation zone, with 17 points from 15 matches. Their grounds stands astatine 4 wins, 5 draws and six defeats. Their astir caller setback, a 1-0 decision by Flamengo successful Porto Alegre, dropped the squad 3 places and pushed the nine into the driblet zone. In their past 5 league matches, they person managed lone 2 victories, and the spread betwixt sixth and 17th is conscionable 5 points, turning each circular into a unit constituent for those successful mid-table.

Luís Castro has already publically acceptable Grêmio's people for the coming weeks: to assistance the squad retired of the relegation portion earlier the Brasileirão pauses for the World Cup. The borderline is slim, and a decision successful Salvador could complicate that ngo further.

On the different hand, a affirmative distant effect against a susceptible Bahia broadside who person not won successful implicit a period could correspond a turning constituent for the Gaúcho club's campaign. Even so, the discourse favours the hosts: contempt their mediocre run, Bahia inactive person the sixth-best onslaught successful the contention and volition person the backing of a assemblage demanding contiguous answers from Rogério Ceni. Grêmio, with a patched-up defence and the value of the driblet portion connected their shoulders, volition request to vie nether pressure.

Bahia Brasileiro form:

L W L D D L

Bahia signifier (all competitions):

L L D D L L

Gremio Brasileiro form:

D D L W D L

Gremio signifier (all competitions):

W D D W L W 

Team News

The bully quality for the Tricolor is the instrumentality of Willian José and Kanu, who person been cleared by the aesculapian section and were already moving with the shot connected Friday, May 15. The league led by Rogério Ceni had a method focus, with accent connected shot possession successful choky areas.

Ronaldo and Ruan Pablo were besides seen connected the pitch, but lone took portion successful a hybrid session, alternating betwixt the gym and the field. Meanwhile, Caio Alexandre continued his carnal modulation work. Santiago Mingo, connected the different hand, is retired of the lucifer aft picking up a 3rd yellowish card.

On the different side, for the gathering with Bahia, manager Castro volition beryllium without the suspended Pavón. As a result, Marcos Rocha is expected to measurement into the wide role.

Still without Arthur, Thiaguinho is the astir apt campaigner to capable the spread successful midfield. Balbuena, who near the tract against Confiança with a suspected musculus injury, is besides unavailable for the match.

Bahia imaginable starting lineup:

Leo Vieira; Acevedo, David Duarte, Xavier, Iago Borduchi (Luciano Juba); Erick, Jean Lucas, Everton Ribeiro; Kike Olivera, Willian José, Erick Pulga. Manager: Rogerio Ceni.

Gremio imaginable starting lineup:

Weverton; Viery, Noriega, Wagner Leonardo; Leo Perez, Dodi, Pedro Gabriel, Willian; Gabriel Mec, Amuzu; Carlos Vinícius. Manager: Luis Castro.

We say: Bahia 2-1 Gremio

Bahia instrumentality to the tract needing a triumph to reconstruct assurance among their supporters aft six matches without a victory. Beyond location advantage, the squad are conscionable 2 points down fourth-placed São Paulo, and a triumph could enactment them close backmost successful the combat for the apical four.

Grêmio transportation the assistance of their Copa bash Brasil progression, but the world successful the Brasileirão is different: decision to Flamengo pushed the broadside into the driblet zone, their defence arrives patched up with the absences of Pavón and Balbuena, and the Arena Fonte Nova is 1 of the toughest venues successful the title for visiting teams.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.