Bola Rolando: Operário still dreams of promotion, but mission in Série B is almost impossible

The final straight of the Serie B of the 2026 Brazilian Championship promises strong emotions, but the situation of the Operário Ferroviário is far from comfortable. Even after the important 1-0 victory over Athletic last Friday (23) at Estádio Germano Krüger, in Ponta Grossa, the Phantom continues to depend on a complicated combination of results to reach the G6 and play the playoffs to access Série A.

With 51 points and occupying the ninth place, the Worker still has mathematical chances of classification. However, when we analyze the performance of competitors, the necessary score and the difficulty of the next commitments, it becomes clear that the path is extremely difficult.

Football allows for surprises, but it also requires realistic analysis. And at this moment, reality indicates that the Worker needs much more than just winning his games.

Victory over Athletic returns confidence, but does not solve the problem

After a difficult period, the Worker won again. The 1-0 win against Athletic was important, especially for the moment lived by the team led by coach Alberto Valentim.

It was not a brilliant performance, nor a presentation that allows to project a spectacular start in this final straight. It was a difficult game, decided by the minimum result, but that guaranteed what really matters at this stage of the competition: the three points.

Victory has a significant psychological weight. The cast needed to regain confidence, to believe in their own football and to demonstrate their responsiveness.

However, we need to separate the importance of the result from the real possibilities of classification.

With three games remaining, the Worker can reach a maximum of 60 points. To do this, he will have to win all his commitments, something that represents a huge challenge in front of the opponents he will encounter along the way.

Series B G6: CRB, Sport and Atlético-GO are in lead

The classification shows why the situation of the Ghost is so delicate.

Fight for the last spots in the access playoffs

Pos.

Team

Points

Fifth

Criciúma

Iowa State

6th

CRB

55.

7th

Sport

Álvaro

8th

Atlético de Madrid

Álvaro

9th

Category: Workers

Álvaro

10th

Goiás

Isle of Man

Partial classification of the 35th round, before the games of 26 and 27 October. Goiás still has one game less.

The Criciúma, fifth place, adds 59 points. It takes one more point to reach 60, the maximum score that the Worker can still reach. Even in this scenario, tiebreaking criteria would need to be considered.

In practice, the main dispute is concentrated in the sixth placement, currently occupied by CRB, with 55 points.

At the back are Sport and Atlético-GO, both with 54 points. They are teams that reach the decisive line with mathematical advantage over the Phantom and depend less on third-party results.

The Worker is four points behind the CRB. Therefore, even if you win your three games, you will need the competitors to leave points along the way.

It is a mathematical possibility, but one that I consider quite remote.

The 35th round games can change the situation of the Worker

The 35th round still reserves three matches, two on Monday (26) and one on Tuesday (27).

Monday (26), at 7:30 p.m.: America-MG x Cuiabá, in Independence.

Monday (26), at 8:30 p.m.: Youth vs. Nautical, at the Alfredo Jaconi Stadium.

Tuesday (27), at 8 pm: Ceará vs Goiás, at the Castelão Arena.

Between these clashes, the duel between Ceará and Goiás deserves special attention.

The Goiás scores 49 points and appears immediately behind the Worker. A victory in Fortaleza would lead the Goiana team to 52 points, overtaking the Phantom in the standings.

On the other hand, Ceará, with 43 points, still seeks to mathematically guarantee their stay in Serie B. Playing in front of his fans, he has enough reason to seek victory.

Youth, third place with 61 points, can reach the same 64 points as leader Novorizontino if Nautico wins.

The Gaucha team has one of the most consistent defenses of the competition and appears as a favorite in the confrontation in Caxias do Sul.

These results help to draw both the contest for direct access and the composition of the group of the top six.

Novorizontino will be a huge challenge for the Ghost

The next engagement of the Worker will be against the leader Novorizontino, on Sunday, November 1st, at 6.30 pm, outside the house.

And the numbers show the extent of the difficulty.

WWE

Points

62nd

Goals scored

+32

Balance of Goals

The Novorizontino has 18 wins, only 30 goals conceded and one of the most efficient teams in the Serie B. With Romulo in the midfield and Robson in the attack, the team demonstrates quality to seek not only access, but also the title of the competition.

In my opinion, it is the strongest team in the championship at the moment.

The Worker, in turn, adds 14 victories. Even winning the remaining three games, it would reach 17, lower than the number already recorded by the leader.

There is the possibility of Busch gaining space in the team, including as a starter in the next appointment. But, regardless of the changes promoted by Alberto Valentim, it will be necessary to present a football much higher than what we have seen in the last rounds.

There are three decisions left for the Operário Ferroviário

After the confrontation with Novorizontino, the Ghost will have two other commitments:

November 6: Worker vs. Sport, German Krüger.

14 November: Ponte Preta x Operário, at Moisés Lucarelli.

The game against Sport will be especially important, because it involves a direct competitor in qualifying.

Already in the last round, in front of the Ponte Preta, the Worker will face a team that, despite living a very complicated situation in the table, has been trying to react and regain competitiveness.

It will not be a simple match just because the opponent takes the last position.

Football does not work that way. Especially when players are on the field looking to defend the shirt and end the season with dignity.

Who will win access to the Série A?

In my assessment, Novorizontino is the main candidate for one of the two direct vacancies.

The other should be played mainly by Vila Nova, Juventude and Fortaleza, teams that showed greater regularity during the competition.

It is worth remembering that the Serie B regulation of 2026 establishes two direct vacancies for the first placed. The clubs that finish between the third and sixth positions will play in the playoffs for the other two spots in the elite of Brazilian football.

Criciúma is also very close to ensuring its presence in this group.

In the last place contest, I consider CRB, Sport and Atlético-GO the strongest candidates.

Goiás and Operário are still mathematically alive, but they will need a virtually perfect sequence, accompanied by the stumbling blocks of the opponents.

And that, at the moment, seems unlikely.

Worker needs to finish Serie B with dignity and confidence

The worker's supporter has every right to believe. As long as there is a mathematical possibility, the team needs to fight.

But believing does not mean ignoring reality.

The classification is very difficult. For me, the Phantom will hardly be able to enter the group of the first six.

This does not diminish the obligation to play each match seeking victory.

Alberto Valentim needs to take advantage of the three remaining commitments to regain the intensity of the team, strengthen the confidence of the players and try to end the season with the best possible performance.

The victory over Athletic was important. Now, the challenge is to show that it was not an isolated result.

The Worker still dreams of access, but he must turn hope into victories. And in this final straight, just winning may not be enough anymore.

WATCH THE COMPLETE ANALYSIS: