🔼 Ponte overcome three months’ unpaid wages, return to Série B

After drawing 1 x 1 with Náutico earlier, Ponte Preta was rooting against its biggest rival.

And they were successful, as the Guarani was defeated by Brusque 3 x 2 away from home on Saturday night (27).

The result stamped with two rounds in advance the return of Macaca to the Serie B of the Brazilian Championship.

Ponte leads Group C of the Third Division with ten points. Guarani (six), Náutico (four) and Brusque (three) follow after four rounds.

The promotion was confirmed due to the upcoming Bugre versus Timbu match. 

In other words: only one of them will be able to surpass Ponte with two games left for each.

Ponte now fights to secure the first place with an eye on the decision.

The top two finishers in each key of the Final Quadrangular move up, but there is no semifinal dispute. Only the leaders go to the final.

A MACACADA VOLTOUUUU!!! Com a vitória do Brusque sobre o rival, a Ponte Preta está de volta à Série B, do Brasileiro, em 2026. VOLTAMOOOOOOS!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍 #PontePretapic.twitter.com/uL6NZqYruK

— Ponte Preta Oficial (@aapp_oficial) September 28, 2025

Promotion amidst crisis and delayed salaries

The feat achieved by Ponte gains even more weight due to the club's financial situation.

According to ge investigation, the squad has three months of delayed salaries: June, July, and August - September's has not yet been due.

Other employees have been pending since May.

The then coach Alberto Valentim and relevant players within the squad like Maguinho, Jean Dias, and Emerson Santos left at the end of the qualifying phase due to salary delays.

Who took over the command of Ponte was Marcelo Fernandes, officialized on August 12 - 17 days after being fired from Guarani.

Ponte won their last three games of the qualifying phase, advancing with the second-best campaign.

And then, triumphed in the first three duels of the Final Quadrangular until this Saturday's match.

Other group only has draws

If Ponte is already there, the scenario of the other group, B, is completely undefined.

There were six games and SIX DRAWS in the first three rounds.

This Sunday (28) will be São Bernardo x Floresta (CE) and Caxias x Londrina.

Thanks to the number of goals scored, Londrina and São Bernardo would be securing the promotion today. 

See the dates of the remaining matches here. 

Photo: Marcos Ribolli/PontePress

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.