The warning lights are flashing once again in Rio Grande do Sul. After a tough loss to Flamengo, Grêmio has slipped into the Brasileirão 2026 relegation zone, currently sitting in 17th place. While this marks the first time this season that the Tricolor has found itself in the bottom four, the feeling is all too familiar for fans who have endured similar struggles over the past two years.
Since returning to Série A in 2023—a relatively calm campaign thanks to the brilliance of Luis Suárez—Grêmio has consistently struggled to stay near the top of the table. In 2024, the team was haunted by a climate tragedy and spent 11 consecutive rounds in the relegation zone. Even after escaping the drop, they never cracked the top 10, securing survival only in the third-to-last round.
The drama continued in 2025, when a poor start cost coach Gustavo Quinteros his job. Under Mano Menezes, Grêmio flirted with danger for most of the season, eventually limping to a modest 9th-place finish on the final day. Now, in 2026, the script has taken another twist. Under new boss Luís Castro, the team climbed as high as 8th place, but a recent dip in form has sent them tumbling back into the relegation zone.
To put it in perspective: over the last 91 rounds of the Brasileirão, Grêmio has spent the vast majority of time either in the bottom four or on the "second page" of the table (below 10th place). They have been in the top 10 for just 16 rounds and have visited the G-4 only once since 2024.
But there is still hope. Grêmio faces two crucial fixtures that could turn the tide. In the Copa do Brasil, they travel to face Confiança in Aracaju, where a loss by no more than one goal would still see them advance to the round of 16. Then, in the Brasileirão, they have a direct showdown with Bahia in Salvador—a match that could be the key to climbing out of the relegation zone.
For Grêmio fans, the anxiety is real, but the fight is far from over. With big matches ahead, the Tricolor has a chance to rewrite the script and silence the old fears. Let's see if they can rise to the occasion.