Crespo faces defensive dilemma at São Paulo ahead of Fluminense clash | OneFootball

Hernán Crespo faces a dilemma in deciding who will be the starting defender for São Paulo in the match against Fluminense, scheduled for this Thursday, as part of the 36th round of the Brazilian Championship. The coach will not be able to count on Sabino, who is suspended due to his third yellow card, while the other two options in the position, Arboleda and Rafael Tolói, are still recovering from injury.

As a result, Tricolor only has Alan Franco and Ferraresi available for the defense. Since Crespo’s team usually plays with three center-backs, the Argentine will have to “rack his brain” to find a replacement and complete the defensive trio.

An alternative is to improvise with midfielders Luiz Gustavo or Negrucci. Both have already played this role in recent matches: Luiz Gustavo played as a center-back in the 2-0 win over Fortaleza, while Negrucci was used in the match against Leão do Pici and in the 1-0 defeat to Santos.

Another possibility is to change the tactical formation and use a lineup with only two center-backs. However, this option is unlikely, since Crespo has only used this system since his return to the club in the 2-2 draw with Sport.

São Paulo’s position in the standings

With the result against Juventude, Tricolor reclaimed eighth place in the Brasileirão, overtaking Red Bull Bragantino, who were defeated by Flamengo this Saturday, and continues to dream of a spot in the pre-Libertadores.

Next match

Fluminense vs São Paulo Competition: Brazilian Championship (36th round) Date and time: November 27, 2025 (Thursday), at 8:30 p.m. (Brasília time) Venue: Maracanã, in Rio de Janeiro (RJ)

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