Palmeiras director updates on Paulinho’s return date | OneFootball

The forward Paulinho was one of the major investments made by Palmeiras for the 2025 season. The player, who took on the number 10 jersey for Verdão, is recovering from a surgery to correct a tibia injury in his right leg, which occurred in July, and is only expected to return to the field next season, as confirmed by director Anderson Barros last Monday during the Campeonato Paulista draw.

“Paulinho is in a very good process of evolution. I believe he will be an athlete who will greatly help Palmeiras in the 2026 season and not in the 2025 season. We will not change anything in the entire schedule outlined by the Health and Performance Center,” he told TNT Sports.

When he announced he would undergo new surgery, Paulinho indicated that he would only return in 2026. However, the athlete's progress created an expectation that he might return earlier. The club, however, will not rush the process and focuses on having the forward in his best form next season.

Paulinho's Injury

While still belonging to Atlético-MG, Paulinho needed surgery on his tibia and joined Palmeiras while recovering from the procedure. As a result, the player missed the entire Campeonato Paulista, the start of the Brasileirão, and the first phase of the Libertadores.

Paulinho only debuted for Verdão in April. The expectation was that Paulinho would be 100% ready for the World Cup, which took place between June and July this year in the United States. However, the athlete had to follow an individual schedule to manage his workload and had limited time on the field.

Paulinho was a standout in the World Cup even with limited minutes

Even under these conditions, he was important for the team and left the tournament with two goals, one of which secured the team’s spot in the quarter-finals against Botafogo, and an assist. In total, he played 16 matches for the São Paulo team, only one as a starter, scored three goals, and provided two assists.

After the tournament in the United States, Palmeiras' Medical Department decided to perform a new procedure to prevent the athlete from taking risks or overexerting himself. Thus, Paulinho underwent the new surgery at the end of July and has been recovering since then.

As a result, Palmeiras is preparing for the final stretch of the season without their number 10. Verdão continues to fight for the Campeonato Brasileiro and Libertadores titles.

Upcoming Palmeiras Matches

Santos vs. Palmeiras Competition: Campeonato Brasileiro (delayed match of the 13th round) Date and Time: November 15, 2025 (Saturday), at 9 PM (Brasília time) Location: Vila Belmiro, in Santos (SP)

Palmeiras vs. Vitória Competition: Campeonato Brasileiro (advanced match of the 37th round) Date and Time: November 19, 2025 (Wednesday), at 7:30 PM (Brasília time) Location: Allianz Parque, in São Paulo (SP)

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