Botafogo Thrashed by Athletico-PR, Remains in Z-4 Zone
Athletico-PR routed Botafogo 4-1 on March 29, 2026 at the Arena da Baixada. The match was a postponed fixture from the fifth round of the Campeonato Brasileiro.
Botafogo approached the game without a permanent coach. Martín Anselmi had been dismissed, and owner John Textor delayed naming a successor for a week.
Match summary
The visitors started with a clear chance in the second minute. Matheus Martins missed after a quick move.
One minute later, an error in Botafogo’s backline allowed Viveros to score. The finish went under goalkeeper Raul and made it 1-0.
First half
Botafogo hit back late in the period. Edenílson scored from a rebound after a corner and leveled the score at 1-1.
In stoppage time, Athletico exploited poor defensive recovery. Viveros finished a counterattack to make it 2-1 at the break.
Second half
Early after the restart, a free-kick touch by Aguirre increased the lead to 3-1. Botafogo struggled to respond.
Esquivel added a fourth goal in the 36th minute with a set-piece that caught Raul off guard. The crowd celebrated with “olé”.
Consequences
With this result, Botafogo Thrashed by Athletico-PR. The defeat left the team with six points in seven matches.
The club Remains in Z-4 Zone and sits 17th in the standings. Internal turmoil and an inactive football department deepen the crisis.
Match details
| Score | Athletico-PR 4 x 1 Botafogo |
| Date | 29/03/2026 |
| Venue | Arena da Baixada |
| Attendance | 21,967 paid / 22,625 present |
| Revenue | R$ 864,995.00 |
| Referee | Paulo Cesar Zanovelli da Silva (FIFA/MG) |
| Goals | Viveros 3′ & 48′ (CAP); Edenílson 42′ (BOT); Aguirre 4′ (2T) (CAP); Esquivel 36′ (2T) (CAP) |
| Yellow cards | Luiz Gustavo, Arthur Dias (CAP); Cristian Medina, Alexander Barboza, Júnior Santos (BOT) |
Lineups and substitutions
- Athletico-PR (Coach Odair Hellmann): Santos; Benavidez, Aguirre, Arthur Dias (Terán 15′ 2T), Esquivel; Luiz Gustavo, Jadson, Dudu (Portilla 42′ 2T); Mendoza (Léo Derik 44′ 2T), Viveros (Renan Peixoto 44′ 2T), Julimar (Zapelli 15′ 2T).
- Botafogo (Coach Rodrigo Bellão): Raul; Vitinho, Bastos, Alexander Barboza, Alex Telles; Edenílson (Jordan Barrera 29′ 2T), Cristian Medina, Álvaro Montoro; Santi Rodríguez (Júnior Santos 13′ 2T), Arthur Cabral (Nathan Fernandes 29′ 2T), Matheus Martins (Lucas Villalba 13′ 2T).
What comes next
Botafogo faces four consecutive matches in Rio de Janeiro. The schedule starts with Mirassol on April 1 at the Estádio Nilton Santos.
Other upcoming fixtures include Vasco on April 4, Caracas on April 9 in the Copa Sul-Americana, and Coritiba on April 12. Filmogaz.com will follow the developments closely.
