Confiança and Grêmio meet again on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at Arena Batistão in Aracaju for the second leg of the fifth round in the Copa do Brasil. The Tricolor from Rio Grande do Sul holds the advantage after a 2-0 victory in Porto Alegre, with second-half goals from Carlos Vinícius and Francis Amuzu. Grêmio can afford to lose by one goal and still advance to the round of 16.
The situation behind the scenes at Confiança has changed significantly. The club from Sergipe fired head coach Cláudio Caçapa on Sunday, just hours after a 1-0 loss to Ituano in Série C. Assistant coach Ricardo Resende takes over on an interim basis with less than 72 hours to prepare the team. Confiança must win by a three-goal margin to advance in regular time, or by two goals to force penalties.
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**Match Analysis**
Confiança is going through its toughest period of the season. The team has gone six games without a win, with five defeats and one draw in that span, and has conceded goals in every match. The poor run led to Caçapa’s dismissal just days before the decisive Copa do Brasil clash.
The Série C campaign explains the crisis. The Dragão sits 18th in the table, with only three points from six rounds — one win and five losses. Offensive performance is also a concern: the team has scored just two goals in the competition so far.
Against this backdrop, the task against Grêmio became even harder. Confiança must overturn a two-goal deficit against a Série A opponent, without a permanent head coach and under strong internal pressure. Ricardo Resende takes over amid a turbulent atmosphere.
On the other side, Grêmio also arrives under pressure, especially due to its situation in the Brazilian Championship. A 1-0 loss to Flamengo last Sunday pushed Luís Castro’s side into the relegation zone. The Tricolor sits 17th with 17 points.
Beyond the result, the performance raised alarm bells. Grêmio had only 30% possession, managed six shots against 18 from the opponent, and saw its five-game streak without conceding a goal end after Carrascal’s strike in the second half. Offensive struggles remain a major concern.
Nevertheless, the Copa do Brasil is the absolute priority for the club. A five-time winner of the competition, Grêmio sees the tournament as the main route to regain confidence and stabilize the season. The advantage built in the first leg gives them breathing room to manage the return match in Aracaju more calmly.
Recent away form also reinforces this outlook. A 3-0 victory over Deportivo Riestra in Argentina, in the Copa Sudamericana, showed the squad still has competitive ability away from Porto Alegre. Grêmio leads Group F of the continental competition with seven points in four matches.
Confiança’s main argument is home advantage. In the last ten games at Batistão, the club has four wins, two draws, and four losses. Still, the current form significantly reduces confidence in a consistent reaction against a technically superior opponent.
Besides the crisis, the Dragão will be without captain Ícaro, who was sent off in the first leg. Without a consolidated technical leader and amid a coaching change, turning Batistão into a hostile environment for Grêmio seems an even bigger challenge.
For Luís Castro, the game plan tends to be more conservative. The idea is to control the match’s pace, reduce defensive risks, and exploit the spaces Confiança will inevitably leave while chasing a comeback. Internally, there is an understanding that elimination in Aracaju would have a heavy impact on the atmosphere and increase pressure on the coaching staff.
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**Additional Predictions for Confiança vs Grêmio**
**Head-to-Head Record**
The first leg, played on April 21, marked the first official meeting between Confiança and Grêmio. At Arena do Grêmio, the home side won 2-0 after dominating most of the match, especially following the expulsion of defender Ícaro in the 37th minute of the first half.
Playing with a man advantage, Grêmio turned superiority into goals in the final period. Carlos Vinícius opened the scoring in the 55th minute, and Francis Amuzu doubled the lead in the 70th. Grêmio ended the match with a wide advantage in statistics, with 21 shots versus only four for Confiança and more than double the accurate passes.
Before the red card, however, Confiança managed to maintain a compact defensive block and limited Grêmio’s space. The Sergipe side relied on a low block and counterattacks but lost organization after going down a man.
**Team News: Confiança**
Confiança arrives for the second leg in a state of instability on and off the field. The dismissal of Cláudio Caçapa, confirmed on Sunday after the loss to Ituano in Série C, increased pressure on the squad ahead of the decisive match. Assistant coach Ricardo Resende takes over with little preparation time.
The main absence is defender and captain Ícaro, suspended after his expulsion in the first leg. Without his key defensive leader, Eduardo Moura should return to the lineup to partner Lucas Cunha in central defense. The absence raises defensive concerns further.
Additionally, the medical department causes doubts for the coaching staff. Right-back Valdir Júnior still feels discomfort in his knee and is not guaranteed to play. Breyner Camilo and Maikon Aquino, substituted with physical issues in recent matches, also remain question marks.
**Probable Confiança lineup (4-1-4-1):**
Rafael Pascoal; Weriton, Lucas Cunha, Eduardo Moura, Matheus Julião; Renilson; Gabriel Zeca, PK, Danielzinho, Iago; João Pedro.
*Interim head coach: Ricardo Resende.*
**Team News: Grêmio**
On the Grêmio side, Luís Castro is expected to use the advantage built in Porto Alegre to manage squad fatigue. The tendency is for partial rotation, especially considering the upcoming match against Bahia in the Brazilian Championship next weekend.
Against Flamengo, Castro used a three-man defense with Gustavo Martins, Balbuena, and Viery. For the match in Aracaju, however, there is the possibility of returning to a back four in a more balanced system to control the game.
Grêmio continues to deal with significant injury issues. Villasanti has been out since August 2025 with a ligament injury in his left knee, while Marlon is recovering from a fractured right ankle.
On the positive side, Carlos Vinícius is available again. The striker had served a suspension in the Brasileirão against Athletico Paranaense and returned against Flamengo. He scored one of the goals in the first leg and remains a key attacking reference for Castro.
**Probable Grêmio lineup (4-2-3-1):**
Weverton; Pavón, Gustavo Martins, Viery, Pedro Gabriel; Nardoni, Arthur; Enamorado, Monsalve, Amuzu; Carlos Vinícius.
*Head coach: Luís Castro.*
**Key Players**
**Confiança:** João Pedro
*Forward, developed at Flamengo*
– 1 goal in Série C, the only goal in Dragão’s sole win in the competition (1-0 vs Santa
