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After a successful stint in 2021, the Argentine Hernán Crespo returned to the managerial position at São Paulo in 2025. Following a turbulent first half of the year with Luis Zubeldía, the São Paulo board decided to bring back the coach who won the Paulista Championship in 2021. 

How the Return Happened

The return took place right after the Club World Cup, but with a poor result: a 2-0 defeat to Flamengo at Maracanã. Despite the rough start, Crespo quickly managed to string together a good run of victories, beginning with a win over archrival Corinthians, with a 2-0 score at Morumbis. 

São Paulo then managed to climb the Brasileirão table and find a playing style. However, the first setback with Crespo came as early as the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil. After a win at Morumbis, Tricolor lost to Athletico-PR at Arena da Baixada and was later eliminated from the competition on penalties. 

Libertadores and Injuries

The elimination was painful, but São Paulo still had big things to fight for in the season. In the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores, they faced Atlético Nacional-COL, a possible rematch of the 2016 semifinals. 

After two balanced and card-filled matches, São Paulo managed another magical night at Morumbis and eliminated the Colombians. 

However, the season began to be hampered by a large number of injuries. For much of the year, Crespo did not have the main players of the squad available, such as Calleri, Lucas, and Oscar, which affected the team's performance. 

In the Libertadores quarterfinals, São Paulo could not hold on: two defeats to LDU and an elimination that marked the end of their title dreams for 2025. 

Final Stretch of the Brasileirão and Outlook for 2026

In the end, all that was left was to dream of a direct spot in next year's Libertadores, but Crespo and his staff did not achieve the goal. Notable defeats to Corinthians and RB Bragantino, as well as a historic thrashing by Fluminense, were crucial for Tricolor to finish outside the qualification zone for the continental competition. 

In his return to São Paulo, Crespo was on the sidelines for 32 matches, with 14 wins, four draws, and 14 losses. For 2026, the Argentine coach hopes to be free of injuries and have a more consistent season. 

Credits: Rubens Chiri / Saopaulofc

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