Brasileirão, Libertadores show Palmeiras need for star players | OneFootball

Palmeiras melted down in the final stretch of the season and lost the titles of the Brasileirão and the Libertadores. In a year of transition, the technically limited squad was a decisive factor in falling behind the same rival.

Palmeiras paid dearly for average players. Vitor Roque and Andreas Pereira are the exceptions. The market vision in the search for sporting and financial returns is different from their biggest competitor, who is always looking for ready and leading players. It’s worth remembering that during 2025, signings arrived from the United States, Denmark, and Russia.

Bringing in supporting players at exorbitant prices burdens any billion-dollar budget. The defeat in Lima showed that. The substitutions reinforced what happened for most of the season: a bench that doesn’t deliver when called upon.

Abel Ferreira acknowledged the victory of experience but maintained the stance that he will not change the profile of signings, which is a mistake. This Palmeiras system is unsustainable, especially since the biggest sales come from academy youngsters. Richard Ríos is the only exception.

As much as he has an important say in the process of arrivals and departures, the final word cannot be Abel’s. Leila Pereira and Anderson Barros, who for years have been hostages to the coach for fear he might leave, need to understand that big titles are won with big players.

Today’s Palmeiras is not for Khellven, Facundo Torres, Ramón Sosa, Micael… It’s too little. And expensive! The first step to winning again is to sign those who are used to winning. Bringing in a six-rated player at a nine-rated price is the worst investment, and no billion-dollar revenue can withstand that.

Season thrown away

Palmeiras lost the chance to be the first four-time São Paulo champion by surpassing its three rivals, wasted the opportunity to be the Brazilian club with the most Libertadores titles, and threw away the winning streak of recent years.

The club has never managed to win for six consecutive years and will end the season with nothing. To make matters worse, it was eliminated by its main rival twice in 2025, something that had never happened in 108 years of the Derby.

The buzzword is the famous “narrative.” Internally, the club will make a point of highlighting its “achievements,” but the glass is much more empty than full.

There are still two games left and another negative record may be on the way. The current winless streak of six matches equals the runs of 2021 and 2023 under Abel Ferreira. If they don’t win against Atlético-MG, in a match just to fulfill the schedule, it will be the longest consecutive period under the Portuguese coaching staff.

While Palmeiras withers at the end of the season, everything seems to have been wonderful in 2025, especially for the president who failed to win two four-peats because she is more interested in her own third term, something forbidden by the club’s bylaws.

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