Palmeiras hit by key midfield absence against Athletico-PR on Sunday | OneFootball

Palmeiras take the field this Sunday (19) at 6:30 p.m. (Brasília time) at Allianz Parque to face Athletico Paranaense in a Brazilian Championship clash.

Defensive midfielder Marlon Freitas is suspended and will be a confirmed absence. The player has been one of the team’s pillars in 2026, having featured in 24 of the 25 matches played so far, alongside Allan and Flaco. His only absence this year had been in the second round of the Paulista Championship, against Santos.

Without Marlon, Lucas Evangelista is expected to get an opportunity in midfield. As a result, the partnership between Andreas Pereira and Marlon Freitas, which had been kept for 13 consecutive matches, will be interrupted.

The change could impact the dynamics of Palmeiras’ central area, since Marlon has established himself as a key piece both in marking and in building out from the back. The expectation is that Lucas Evangelista will bring different characteristics to the team, possibly with more attacking mobility.

Playing at home, Palmeiras seek to maintain their strong performances in front of their fans, while Athletico-PR try to pull off an upset away from home and earn important points in the competition.

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