Carlos Miguel returns to Quito seeking to seal Palmeiras’ Libertadores semi-final spot | OneFootball

Carlos Miguel returns to Quito on Wednesday as Palmeiras’ first-choice goalkeeper, tasked with protecting their CONMEBOL Libertadores quarter-final lead against LDU.

According to Nosso Palestra, the occasion marks a contrast with 2025, when he was still fighting for minutes after stepping in for the injured Weverton. Palmeiras won the first leg 1-0 at Nubank Parque, so a draw will take them through, while any Ecuadorian win by one goal sends it to penalties.

His last visit to the Estadio Rodrigo Paz Delgado came in October 2025, only his second outing for the club. He was still bedding in and faced one of the Libertadores’ toughest environments.

That early run was harsh, with six goals conceded across his first two starts, including a 3-2 defeat to Flamengo at the Maracanã. He soon steadied, piecing together improved performances and clean sheets.

By February this year, he had spoken of wanting to make history at Palmeiras and to re-enter the Brazil conversation. At that point he had played 21 matches, with 11 clean sheets.

That prospect gathered pace in 2026 as Carlo Ancelotti assessed Palmeiras players for a new Seleção phase. Carlos Miguel was on the radar in early September, though he was not included in the final squad named on 9 September.

His club role kept growing, reaching 50 appearances in August and 23 clean sheets by then. A shutout in Quito could settle the tie in normal time, though altitude at roughly 2,850 metres and a side backed by their fans await.

Source: Nosso Palestra

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