Palmeiras’ Copinha exit exposes limits of depleted squad | OneFootball

The Palmeiras is out of the São Paulo Junior Cup. On the night of this Monday (19), Verdão was defeated by Ibrachina at Arena Barueri in the quarterfinals, after a 2-2 draw in regular time and a 5-4 loss in penalties. More than the score, the alviverde's performance over the 90 minutes highlighted a recurring issue in this campaign: collective and individual performance below expectations.

The team, which had already advanced in two previous phases on penalties, against Vitória and Flamengo-SP, ends its journey in the Copinha among the top eight clubs. It is a respectable position on paper, but it leaves a bittersweet feeling. For a squad that entered the tournament weakened by significant absences, reaching the quarterfinals cannot be seen as an absolute failure. Even so, the technical and tactical performance, both collective and individual, fell short of what is expected from a club like Palmeiras.

In the knockout stages, the pattern repeated: in three of the four elimination games, Verdão needed penalties. They defeated technically inferior opponents in matches where a draw in regular time cannot be treated as common or acceptable, and fell to Ibrachina, one of the big surprises of the competition.

The loss of key players was significant. Without Gilberto (negotiated with Athletico-PR) and without Benedetti, Luis Pacheco, Larson, Erick Belé, Riquelme, and Luighi – all integrated into the professional team -, Palmeiras entered the Copinha without the planned backbone. This forced supporting players to take on leading roles, with only a few remaining names carrying more responsibility: Aranha, Arthur, Robson, and Coutinho.

Arthur played little, as he was promoted to the professional team still in the group stage. Coutinho was one of the standout individuals and leaves valued. Meanwhile, Robson and Aranha had inconsistent performances: the goalkeeper, even elevated to the position of third goalkeeper of the main team, made mistakes in at least three goals in the tournament; Robson, in turn, lost his place and ceased to be a starter throughout the competition.

Among the supporting players, two names come out strengthened: Sorriso and Victor Gabriel. The former ends his time in the youth ranks with impressive numbers – five goals and five assists in seven games – and awaits a decision on his professional future – even if he doesn't stay at Palmeiras, he leaves valued in sports terms. Victor Gabriel, on the other hand, is projected as a protagonist of the Under-20 in 2026 and is expected to be purchased after the loan with Grêmio Novorizontino ends.

The one who should inherit the role of main technical reference is Eduardo Conceição. Despite missing the decisive penalty against Ibrachina, the 16-year-old scored four goals in the Copinha and has already signed a professional contract with a 100 million euro release clause.

The Elimination Game

Palmeiras started the match aggressively and opened the scoring early. At six minutes, Sorriso took a precise free kick and Pimenta rose well to head firmly and find the net. At 33, Verdão almost extended the lead with another chance from Sorriso, stopped by a great save from goalkeeper Gabriel Sena.

The second half, however, was dominated by Ibrachina, in yet another game of physical decline for Palmeiras during the second half in this Copinha. The team from the eastern zone launched into attack, cornered Palmeiras, and completely changed the course of the match.

At 12 minutes, Luiz Fernando took a long throw-in into the area, the alviverde defense failed to clear, and Pirituba appeared free to hit a strong shot and equalize. Five minutes later, again from a set piece, Ibrachina turned the game around: after a corner, Kauan Christian rose high and headed into the goal.

At 37, Palmeiras showed resilience. Even anxious, they equalized with Fábio, also with a header, taking the decision to penalties.

In the shootout, Ibrachina started better, but Palmeiras had the chance to decide when Eduardo Conceição stepped up to the spot. The number 10 sent the shot over. Subsequently, Gabriel Sena shone by saving the alviverde penalty and secured Ibrachina's qualification.

And Now?

Palmeiras ends its participation in the Copinha with seven games, four wins, and three draws, 24 goals scored and eight conceded. The top scorers were Sorriso and Victor Gabriel, with five goals each.

The Under-20 team enters a vacation period and returns to activities in March, when the 2026 season officially begins. The calendar includes the Under-20 Brazilian Championship, the Under-20 Paulista Championship, and the Under-20 Libertadores — competitions in which Verdão will once again seek prominence.

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