Abel reinvents Palmeiras in big win, boosts confidence, cements lead | OneFootball

By Victória Romanelli

Palmeiras reinforced its dominance as the best home team in the Brazilian Championship and thrashed Juventude, 4 to 1, on Saturday night, in a postponed match of the 12th round of the competition. Raphael Veiga, Bruno Rodrigues, Felipe Anderson, and Bruno Fuchs contributed with the goals that allowed Verdão to open a three-point lead at the top.

The victory left Palmeiras with 58 points at the top, three more than second-placed Flamengo.

Abel had to assemble a puzzle

For this match, Palmeiras had ten absences, with almost half of them being starters. Besides Paulinho (surgery on the right leg), Lucas Evangelista (surgery on the right thigh), and Khellven (foot injury), who have been in the medical department for a few games, seven others were out.

They are: Aníbal Moreno (Argentinian national team), Flaco López (Argentinian national team), Facundo Torres (Uruguayan national team), Gustavo Gómez (Paraguayan national team/suspended), Emi Martínez (Uruguayan national team/suspended), Vitor Roque (suspended), and Ramón Sosa (thigh edema).

Abel then fielded a team with a new midfield and attack: Weverton; Giay, Micael, Murilo, and Piquerez; Bruno Fuchs and Andreas Pereira; Mauricio, Felipe Anderson, and Raphael Veiga; Bruno Rodrigues. On the bench, out of the 12 available, nine are homegrown, with five of them yet to debut. Of these, two got minutes: Erick Belé and Luís Pacheco.

“I've told you several times: I don't only have 11 players, I have 28. I don't train just 11 players, I train all 28 and prepare them for when needed, either from the start or to come in and deliver the necessary responses. Therefore, I am very happy and pleased to see their work and effort recognized through a good game, a good victory, and the players' dynamics,” analyzed Abel.

Palmeiras dominated Juventude and secured an easy victory

Raphael Veiga extends streak and reemerges as a leadership figure

With the team reinvented, without the Flaco-Roque duo, which had been dictating the great success of the offensive sector, Palmeiras took advantage of Juventude's weakness and quickly played as they are accustomed to. Even with different players, the essence remained, and Abel Ferreira's team kept looking for ways to score. The persistence paid off at the 26th minute with a strike from Raphael Veiga, who took advantage of Felipe Anderson's rebound.

A goal that boosts the midfielder's confidence as he tries to reaffirm himself in the team after recovering from a pubalgia a few months ago. Of the last games he played as a starter, he had his best performance against Juventude. It's three consecutive games as a starter and the reemergence of the decisive figure at a time when the team needed the leadership he brings from his years at Palmeiras.

Bruno Rodrigues seizes starting opportunity and scores

Bruno Rodrigues, at the 43rd minute, also gained a confidence boost by scoring again after two years, overcoming a series of knee injuries. He took advantage of Murilo's setup, Jandrei's mistake, and found the net. Resilient after two serious injuries, he was celebrated by all teammates, from the field to the bench, and by the coaching staff.

Setting the pace, Palmeiras returned from the break with the same intensity and in ten minutes turned the score into a rout. Bruno Fuchs and Felipe Anderson, at three and ten minutes, scored theirs. The defender, playing as a midfielder, appeared free in the area to take advantage of Veiga's pass and headed it into the net. The second took advantage of a cross from Mauricio after a good pass from Veiga and finished for the goal.

Abel managed to use the game to promote the debuts of youth standouts Erick Belé and Luís Pacheco. Jefté, Allan, and Luighi were the other players used by Abel in the second half. In a set-piece situation, Weverton made a mistake, and Palmeiras saw Juventude reduce the deficit with Rodrigo Sam, heading in. But it was too late for a visitor's comeback.

Palmeiras' next match

Palmeiras vs. Red Bull Bragantino (28th round of the Brasileirão) Date and time: October 15, 2025 (Wednesday), at 7 PM (Brasília time) Location: Allianz Parque, in São Paulo (SP)

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