Abel Ferreira completes 250 games in charge of Palmeiras
Palmeiras’ main issue in recent games has been the excessive fatigue of its players. Runner-up in the Brazilian Super Cup and champion of the Campeonato Paulista, Verdão played all possible matches on the calendar in 2024.
Coach Abel Ferreira has already mentioned in several press conferences that it is necessary to save some players, but the level of importance of the last games has made this mission difficult. The chance for the coach then appeared this Thursday.
Palmeiras faces Botafogo-SP, in the first game of the third phase of the Copa do Brasil, at 9:30 pm, at Allianz Parque, and may have an “alternative” team. Although this is also an important game, the opponent is in Series B of the Brasileirão and has two draws in the tournament.
Therefore, the tendency is for the most used athletes so far in 2024 to start on the bench. The center of attention on the “fatigue” theme has been Raphael Veiga. Abel said he was largely to blame for the midfielder’s bad form, as he hasn’t given him any rest for some time.
Veiga, therefore, must start the duel on the bench to make way for Luis Guilherme. The boy played well against Independiente del Valle, in the Conmebol Libertadores, and scored the winning goal to make it 3-2.
The sides also tend to have changes. In the classic against São Paulo, the right side had the presence of Marcos Rocha, while Piquerez was the starter on the left. Against Botafogo-SP, Mayke and Vanderlan should start playing.
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The attack is another sector that could see changes. Endrick has been playing regularly and hasn’t been able to play as well as he did at the beginning of the season: Estêvão and even Lázaro are fighting for that spot. In the center forward position, Flaco López and Rony are the most highly rated.
– We know that if it were up to us, we would play every game. The physiology people talk a lot with the professor, as they did in the last game at altitude, he was unsure of who would play due to the altitude and who could help more, who has more experience – commented Rony after the game last Monday.
This Thursday’s match could mark Zé Rafael’s return to the field after almost a month – he hasn’t played since the Paulistão final. The midfielder is another important piece to reinforce the midfield and has a chance of starting as a starter.
Therefore, a likely Palmeiras team for the duel has some doubts: Weverton; Mayke, Luan (Gustavo Gómez), Murilo and Vanderlan (Piquerez); Aníbal Moreno, Richard Ríos (Zé Rafael), Luis Guilherme; Estêvão, Rony (Endrick or Lázaro) and López.
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