1977 Campeonato Gaúcho Explained

Competition:	Campeonato Gaúcho
Season:	1977
Winners:	Grêmio
Relegated:	Cachoeira Estrela Gaúcho Riograndense São Paulo Ypiranga de Erechim
Continentalcup1:	Copa Brasil
Continentalcup1 Qualifiers:	Grêmio Internacional Juventude Caxias Brasil de Pelotas
League Topscorer:	Flávio (Pelotas) Luís Freire (Esportivo) – 13 goals
Biggest Home Win:	Grêmio 10–0 Pelotas (July 31, 1977)
Biggest Away Win:	Santo Ângelo 1-5 Pelotas (May 4, 1977) Cruzeiro 0–4 Grêmio Bagé (May 29, 1977)
Highest Scoring:	Grêmio 10–0 Pelotas (July 31, 1977)
Matches:	311
Total Goals:	591
Prevseason:	1976
Nextseason:	1978

The 57th season of the Campeonato Gaúcho kicked off on March 26, 1977, and ended on September 25, 1977. Twenty-four teams participated. Grêmio won their 20th title. Six teams were relegated.^{[1] [2]}

System

The championship would have four stages.:

• First phase: The twenty-four clubs would be divided into two groups of twelve teams, specifically sorted so traditional or regional rivals would be in different groups. Each team would play against the teams of their own group once, and after that, it would play twice against their rival in the other group, totalling 13 matches. The four best teams in each group qualified to the Second phase, and among them, the champions of each group would play each other to define the champions of the first stage, which would earn one point to the Finals. The three bottom teams in each group were relegated, and the other ten remaining teams qualified to the Repechage.
• Repechage: The ten teams would be divided into two groups of five. Each team played against the teams of its won group twice. The best team in each group qualified to the Second phase.
• Second phase: The remaining ten teams would play each other twice. The best team in each round would win a point for the Finals.
• Finals: The winners of the first stage and the two rounds of the second stage qualified to this stage. Each participant would have one point allotted to them by stage won, and the teams would play each other until one reached four points, with that team winning the title.

Championship

First phase

Finals

Repechage

Group B

Second phase

Finals

Selective Tournament

Originally, only the Finalists would qualify for the Campeonato Brasileiro (in case there were only two finalists, the best team from Caxias do Sul would qualify). However, once it was decided to expand the championship for 1978, two more berths were opened, and were intended to be given to one team from Caxias do Sul and another from Pelotas, thus, a selective tournament was played with the two teams from each city. With Juventude already qualified, Caxias won the other berth in their group, while Brasil de Pelotas qualified in the Pelotas group.

Group B

Notes and References

1. Web site: Championship of Rio Grande do Sul 1977. RSSSFBrasil.com. July 7, 2020.
2. Web site: Championship of Rio Grande do Sul 1977. Futebolnacional.com.br. July 7, 2020.