Crespo starts Paulistão eyeing repeat amid São Paulo crisis | OneFootball

Amid turbulence both on and off the field, São Paulo makes its debut in the Campeonato Paulista away from home, facing Mirassol this Sunday, and Hernán Crespo begins his quest for a second consecutive state championship with Tricolor.

The Argentine coach won the Paulistão in 2021, when he led the team in the final against Palmeiras, defeating Verdão 2-0 at Morumbi. The result ended a long 16-year drought without a state title for Tricolor.

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Record in the Paulistão

That was the last Paulistão title won by São Paulo to date. In the following edition, in 2022, Tricolor once again faced Palmeiras in the state final, but ended up defeated by the alviverde team, which won 4-0 in the decisive match at Allianz Parque and lifted the trophy.

In the last season, São Paulo was eliminated in the semifinals, falling to Palmeiras 1-0 at Allianz Parque.

Financial and political crisis

The club's current moment, however, is far from ideal. Tricolor is going through one of the worst financial crises in its history, with debts approaching R$ 912 million. Besides being in the red, São Paulo is also suffering a political crisis. In fact, president Júlio Casares is about to face an impeachment vote in the deliberative council, amid discontent and criticism from the fans.

Return of Lucas and Calleri

On the sporting side, São Paulo also dealt with an overloaded medical department in the 2025 season, with several players spending time in the medical room throughout the year. Among those who faced long recovery periods were Marcos Antônio, Rafael Tolói, and Wendell, as well as other athletes who suffered muscle injuries or underwent surgical procedures.

Good news for the Paulista debut is that forwards Lucas Moura and Calleri have been training without restrictions with the squad after recovering from injuries, and may strengthen the team in the state championship, which is a relief for Crespo.

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