Palmeiras and São Paulo try to climb the mountain – 7/2/2023 – PVC

Abel Ferreira wrote in his book “Cabeça Fria, Coração Quente” that sometimes it is necessary to admit one’s inferiority and set up a strategy to climb a mountain. That’s what he did in the Libertadores final against Flamengo, in 2021. He climbed three defenders, line of five in defense, an unusual tactic since he arrived.

Against Athletico-PR, he repeated that way of playing.

Spending a month without its main steering wheel, Zé Rafael, will require firm and creative solutions. In the middle of the week, against Bolívar, Gabriel Menino proved to be the record holder for tackles, a little further back than usual.

To the embezzlement of the head of the area, added that of Artur, with a heel injury. The table predicts a classic against São Paulo at Morumbi, a meeting with Flamengo at Allianz Parque, a return against São Paulo and a visit to Beira Rio against Internacional.

In Curitiba, Artur’s injury and Dudu and Raphael Veiga’s fatigue made Abel climb Palmeiras with six Academy offspring: Garcia, Vanderlan, Jhon Jhon, Luis Guilherme, Endrick and the boy Naves, in the role of third defender.

The system and the bet on the offspring worked until Garcia was expelled. With one more man, Athletico tied.

Palmeiras had not gone through three rounds of the Brazilian without winning since September last year, but there were three draws, against Flamengo, Fluminense and Bragantino. Now, equality in Curitiba joins the consecutive defeats for Bahia and Botafogo. Only one point won in nine means distance from the fight for the title – and with a very tough schedule.

São Paulo will also make the classic of the Copa do Brasil with problems. The probable absence of Calleri, with severe back pain, is the biggest problem. Because Dorival Júnior assembles his team differently from Athletico, it is likely that Abel will return to his traditional formation, with two defensive midfielders instead of the third defender.

The two rivals will have mountains to climb. Although the tricolor team has only four defeats in 20 matches, all of them happened in the last eight commitments. The irregularity has returned, as a sign that the team is not taking off because of the club more than its coaches.

São Paulo has maintained its tactical design, with an open midfielder on the left, a winger on the right and Luciano behind the striker, either Calleri or Juan. At home, they can increase Palmeiras instability and continue fighting for an unprecedented Copa do Brasil trophy.

In Parque Antarctica, there are those who defend that, this year, the cups have preference over the Brazilian, because of the award and the national conquest of last year. Hard to think that the Copa do Brasil could be more valuable than winning the 12th trophy.

But the distance to Botafogo gets bigger with each round, and there are already ten points of difference.

In history, the biggest upset was 12 points recovered, from the 23rd round, by Flamengo, in the 2009 conquest. It is easier to think that gremistas and rubro-negros are, at this moment, Botafogo’s most direct rivals for the conquest of the Brazilian.

Palmeiras has a mountain to climb in the league.

São Paulo, in the Brazilian Cup.

Football in this former football country also has, thinking about a brilliant game by Endrick, who is already at Real Madrid, and Vitor Roque, almost certainly at Barcelona.

Eye on Braga

Since the thrashing of Flamengo, coach Pedro Caixinha has copied a bit of what Manchester City has done with the midfielder Stones. Jadsom is lateral, when he defends, and defensive midfielder, with the ball. Against Corinthians, Bragantino played a great first half. But with Aderlan in the position of full-back.

threatened

Corinthians rejuvenates its team and is at risk of relegation. The responsibility lies more with the formation of the squad than with the reform of the base team, attempted by Luxemburgo. The search is for a style, for the formation of a new team, with young people. The action should have been taken a year ago.

PRESENT LINK: Did you like this text? Subscriber can release five free hits of any link per day. Just click the blue F below.