Bahia fields youngest Serie A lineup under coach Rogério Ceni

Esporte Clube Bahia entered the second half of the 2026 Série A season with a record‑low average age of 25.9 years, the youngest in the club’s top‑flight history. Coach Rogério Ceni reshuffled the starting eleven for the 1‑1 draw against Corinthians, starting players such as Román Gómez (22), Zé Guilherme (21) and Argentine forward Alejo Véliz (22), while veterans Everton Ribeiro (37) and Willian José (34) were moved to the bench. Ceni said the younger group provides the intensity and pressure he wants, noting that older players tend to diminish the team’s ability to press.

In parallel, Ceni experimented with veteran midfielder Everton Ribeiro’s role, positioning him higher up the field as a false‑nine to create space for faster attackers. Ribeiro, who has not scored in more than six months, contributed six assists in 21 appearances but remains limited by lingering back‑pain. The tactical shift aims to extend his effectiveness while the younger squad supplies dynamism.