2008 Campeonato Gaúcho Explained

Season:	2008
Winners:	Internacional (38th title)
Continentalcup1 Qualifiers:	Internacional Juventude Grêmio Caxias (Copa FGF 2007 winners)
Continentalcup2 Qualifiers:	Internacional (SM) Caxias Brasil (Copa FGF 2007 runners-up)
League Topscorer:	Alex (Internacional) and Mendes (Juventude) (13)
Biggest Home Win:	Internacional 8-1 Juventude (Final, 2008 May 04)
Biggest Away Win:	Guarany 0–6 Internacional (First Stage, 2008 March 02)
Highest Scoring:	Internacional 8-1 Juventude (Final, 2008 May 04)
Total Goals:	376
Average Goals:	2.98
Highest Attendance:	46.472 - Internacional 2-0 Brasil (First Stage, 2008 March 08)
Nextseason:	2009

The 88th season of the Campeonato Gaúcho kicked off on January 19, 2008. The competition began with 16 clubs divided into two groups. Even before the end of first stage, Guarany and 15 de Novembro were already relegated. Holders Grêmio had an early exit after being defeated by Juventude at homeground. Once again, the two biggest clubs of Rio Grande do Sul would not meet at the final. Internacional set a new record: the highest score in a final match, after beating Juventude 8–1 at Beira-Rio Stadium. That was the 38th title in the history of the club.

The tournament qualified both finalists to the Copa do Brasil (Brazil Cup) - Grêmio is also qualified based on CBF ranking criteria. As Internacional will play Série A and Juventude, Série B this season, the semifinal losers, Internacional of Santa Maria and Caxias qualified for the Série C (3rd level of National championship).

Teams

Club	City	Position in 2007	Number of titles (until 2007)
		7th	37
		Champions	35
		12th	-
		6th	1
		Runners-up	1
		10th	1
		5th	-
		13th	-
		4th	-
		14th	-
		9th	-
		11th	-
		8th	2
		3rd	-
		Champions (2nd Division)	-
		Runners-up (2nd Division)	-

System

Group Stage: The 16 teams were divided in 2 groups of 8 teams each. They played against each other inside their groups in home-and-away system. After 14 rounds, the top 4 teams qualified to the Quarterfinals and the bottom team from each group were relegated to play 2nd Division in 2009.
Quarterfinals: Considering Group Stage positions, the 8 qualified teams were placed in 4 groups of 2 teams each which played in home-and-away system.
Semifinals: Quarterfinals winners were divided in 2 groups of 2 teams each and they played in home-and-away system. Teams with best overall record played second leg at home
Finals: Semifinals winners played in home-and-away to define Champions. Team with best overall record played second leg at home.

Group stage

Group 1

Fixtures

align=center width=90	Date	Match			width=150	Venue
2008 Jan 19		3-0		Porto Alegre
2008 Jan 19		2-0		Caxias do Sul
2008 Jan 20		1-2		Novo Hamburgo
2008 Jan 20		3-2		Canoas
2008 Jan 22		0-1		Campo Bom
2008 Jan 23		1-1		São Leopoldo
2008 Jan 23		2-0		Santa Cruz do Sul
2008 Jan 23		2-1		Bento Gonçalves
2008 Jan 26		1-0		Porto Alegre
2008 Jan 26		0-0		Novo Hamburgo
2008 Jan 26		3-2		Canoas
2008 Jan 27		0-0		São Leopoldo
2008 Jan 30		1-3		Campo Bom
2008 Feb 1		2-2		Santa Cruz do Sul
2008 Feb 2		1-3		Novo Hamburgo
2008 Feb 2		2-2		Caxias do Sul
2008 Feb 6		0-0		Caxias do Sul
2008 Feb 9		2-0		Porto Alegre
2008 Feb 10		1-0		Bento Gonçalves
2008 Feb 10		1-0		São Leopoldo
2008 Feb 13		0-3		Campo Bom
2008 Jan 17		0-1	Grêmio	Canoas
2008 Feb 17		0-1		Bento Gonçalves
2008 Feb 17		0-1		São Leopoldo
2008 Feb 20		2-2		Caxias do Sul
2008 Feb 20		1-2		Novo Hamburgo
2008 Feb 21		1-0	15 de Novembro	Santa Cruz do Sul
2008 Feb 21		2-1		Porto Alegre

align=center width=90	Date	Match		width=150	Venue
2008 Feb 23		1-1	São Leopoldo
2008 Feb 24		2-5	Canoas
2008 Feb 24		1-2	Bento Gonçalves
2008 Feb 25		3-1	Campo Bom
2008 Feb 25		1-1	Novo Hamburgo
2008 Mar 1		4-0	Porto Alegre
2008 Mar 1		2-0	Caxias do Sul
2008 Mar 3		2-5	Santa Cruz do Sul
2008 Mar 6		1-2	Campo Bom
2008 Mar 8		1-2	Santa Cruz do Sul
2008 Mar 9		1-0	Canoas
2008 Mar 9		0-1	Novo Hamburgo
2008 Mar 12		1-0	Canoas
2008 Mar 12		1-0	Bento Gonçalves
2008 Mar 12		1-4	São Leopoldo
2008 Mar 13		0-0	Porto Alegre
2008 Mar 15		1-3	Bento Gonçalves
2008 Mar 16		2-3	Campo Bom
2008 Mar 16		2-3	Santa Cruz do Sul
2008 Mar 16		4-1	Caxias do Sul
2008 Mar 20		2-0	Porto Alegre
2008 Mar 22		3-0	Caxias do Sul
2008 Mar 22		1-1	Canoas
2008 Mar 22		3-2	Novo Hamburgo
2008 Mar 26		2-1	São Leopoldo
2008 Mar 26		2-0	Santa Cruz do Sul
2008 Mar 26		2-3	Bento Gonçalves
2008 Mar 26		1-4	Campo Bom

Group 2

Fixtures

align=center width=90	Date	Match		width=150	Venue
2008 Jan 20		3-1	Ijuí
2008 Jan 20		2-0	Porto Alegre
2008 Jan 20		2-2	Santa Maria
2008 Jan 20		4-1	Veranópolis
2008 Jan 23		4-1	Pelotas
2008 Jan 24		2-0	Porto Alegre
2008 Jan 24		2-2	Caxias do Sul
2008 Jan 24		1-3	Bagé
2008 Jan 27		1-4	Porto Alegre
2008 Jan 27		3-2	Santa Maria
2008 Jan 27		2-1	Caxias do Sul
2008 Jan 28		1-0	Ijuí
2008 Jan 30		1-3	Bagé
2008 Feb 1		2-1	Veranópolis
2008 Feb 1		1-0	Santa Maria
2008 Feb 1		0-1	Porto Alegre
2008 Feb 8		1-0	Bagé
2008 Feb 10		0-5	Pelotas
2008 Feb 10		2-3	Veranópolis
2008 Feb 11		0-0	Ijuí
2008 Feb 16		2-0	Porto Alegre
2008 Feb 16		2-0	Caxias do Sul
2008 Feb 16		1-1	Porto Alegre
2008 Feb 17		2-3	Pelotas
2008 Feb 19		2-1	Veranópolis
2008 Feb 20		0-3	Bagé
2008 Feb 20		1-1	Ijuí
2008 Feb 21		1-0	Santa Maria

align=center width=90	Date	Match		width=150	Venue
2008 Feb 22		2-0	Caxias do Sul
2008 Feb 23		3-0	Porto Alegre
2008 Feb 24		2-0	Pelotas
2008 Feb 25		1-0	Porto Alegre
2008 Feb 29		3-2	Santa Maria
2008 Mar 2		2-2	Veranópolis
2008 Mar 2		0-6	Bagé
2008 Mar 2		4-0	Ijuí
2008 Mar 6		1-1	Santa Maria
2008 Mar 8		2-0	Veranópolis
2008 Mar 8		2-0	Caxias do Sul
2008 Mar 8		1-1	Porto Alegre
2008 Mar 12		2-2	Ijuí
2008 Mar 12		3-2	Porto Alegre
2008 Mar 12		3-0	Caxias do Sul
2008 Mar 13		2-1	Pelotas
2008 Mar 15		2-0	Porto Alegre
2008 Mar 15		1-3	Bagé
2008 Mar 16		1-0	Pelotas
2008 Mar 18		3-1	Veranópolis
2008 Mar 21		2-1	Porto Alegre
2008 Mar 22		1-1	Santa Maria
2008 Mar 23		4-1	Ijuí
2008 Mar 23		1-3	Veranópolis
2008 Mar 27		2-3	Bagé
2008 Mar 27		1-2	Caxias do Sul
2008 Mar 27		2-2	Pelotas
2008 Mar 27		2-0	Porto Alegre

Quarterfinals

First Leg: 29 and 30 March
Second Leg: 5 and 6 April

Team 1 plays the second leg at home

Team 1	Total	Team 2	First	Second
Grêmio	5-5*	Juventude	2-1	2-3
Internacional	7-3	Ulbra	4-1	3-2
Internacional (SM)	3-2	Sapucaiense	1-2	2-0
Caxias	2-1	São José	1-1	1-0

Juventude won on away goals rule.

Semifinals

First Leg: 13 and 15 April
Second Leg: 20 April

Team 1 plays the second leg at home

Team 1	Total	Team 2	First	Second
Internacional (SM)	3-4	Juventude	1-0	2-4
Internacional	3-1	Caxias	1-0	2-1

Final

First Leg: 27 April
Second Leg: 4 May

Team 1 plays the second leg at home

Goals

Top Goal scorers

Scorer	Goals	Team
Mendes	13	Juventude
Alex	13	Internacional
Ronaldo Capixaba	9	São Luiz
Júnior Paulista	7	São José
Iarley	7	Internacional