Abel Ferreira v Crespo: knockout clash, head-to-head level | OneFootball

Abel Ferreira and Hernán Crespo will face off again this Sunday (1st) in the semifinals of the Paulista Championship, at Arena Barueri. The classic match between Palmeiras and São Paulo brings together two coaches who have had encounters marked by balance in recent years.

In total, there have been eight matches between the managers. The record shows three victories for Abel, two for Crespo, and three draws.

Decisive Knockout Duel

When it comes to knockout scenarios, the balance also prevails. Each coach has advanced once in direct confrontations, and this Sunday's semifinal will serve as a tiebreaker.

Abel came out on top in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Libertadores. After a draw in the first game, Palmeiras won 3-0 in the return leg and continued in the competition — which ended with the green-and-white title.

Months earlier, however, Crespo had overcome the rival in the final of the 2021 Paulista Championship. São Paulo won and ended their state title drought that season.

Recent Encounters

In the most recent meetings, the Palmeiras coach has taken the lead. In the first round of this year's Paulista, Verdão won 3-1, also at Arena Barueri. Before that, in the previous season's Brasileirão, the green-and-white team won 3-2, coming from behind.

Another victory for Abel over Crespo was also recorded in 2021, in the match that secured Palmeiras' qualification in the Libertadores.

2021 Concentrates Most Matches

Most of the encounters between the two happened in 2021, a period when Crespo was managing São Paulo. That year, the Argentine coach won two classics: one in the initial phase of the State Championship, 1-0, and another in the Paulista final, 2-0.

Besides these matches, there were two goalless draws and a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the Libertadores quarterfinals.

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