Low points and magic nights: Relive Raphael Veiga’s year at Palmeiras | OneFootball

Even in a below-par season, Raphael Veiga managed to enhance his legacy at Palmeiras. The number 23 had a poor year compared to what the fans were used to seeing from the alviverde idol, who had come from decisive and goal-scoring seasons.

Missed Penalty in Itaquera

Always decisive, Raphael Veiga started the season with an unusual mark. In the second leg of the Paulista Championship Final against Corinthians, in Itaquera, the number 23 missed the penalty that could have tied the game and kept Verdão alive in the match.

With the missed penalty, the Greatest Champion of Brazil saw its rival win the 2025 Paulistão, preventing Verdão from becoming state champions for the fourth time in a row.

Injuries, Bench, and Resurgence

Besides underperforming, Veiga dealt with 'annoying' injuries throughout the season. The first was a shoulder injury when the player suffered a collision and was sidelined for a period. Another was when he and the club decided to take time to fully heal a pubic discomfort, which kept him out of a significant number of games.

After overcoming these situations, the idol returned to play and reached his peak in the season against LDU at Allianz Parque. Verdão needed to win 4-0 to secure a spot in the Libertadores final in Lima.

Veiga came on in the second half when Palmeiras was already leading 2-0 against the Ecuadorians. It was only a matter of time before his star shone, and he scored two more goals, securing a spot in yet another Libertadores final. The third in five years.

Contract Situation and Interested Clubs

With a contract until March 2027, Raphael Veiga is attracting interest from Brazilian and foreign clubs. In Brazil, Grêmio has shown interest in acquiring the Verdão idol, but for now, the deal has not progressed.

Other markets are also analyzing the player's situation, who had a below-par year but remains in the plans of Palmeiras' management and coaching staff.

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