Palmeiras hit by six injuries at a crucial time, full rundown | OneFootball

Palmeiras will face a decisive stretch before the break for the World Cup. Before the highly anticipated clash against Flamengo at the Maracanã, Verdão will still host Cerro Porteño at Allianz Parque in an important fixture for the season. Meanwhile, the growing number of issues in the medical department is increasing concern for the coaching staff at a crucial point in the year.

Injury update

At the moment, Abel Ferreira has six injured players, two of whom were recently added to the list after the defeat to Cruzeiro at Arena Crefisa Barueri.

The most delicate situation involves Uruguayan full-back Piquerez. The undisputed starter in his position, the No. 22 had to undergo ankle surgery. Despite the seriousness of the injury, there is internal hope that he can speed up his recovery and return in time for the World Cup, especially since he is already doing on-field work with Verdão’s physiotherapy staff.

Another player who underwent surgery was Vitor Roque. The striker never managed to fully hit his stride in 2026 after suffering a heavy blow to the ankle against São Paulo in the Paulista Championship. Even while dealing with pain and physical limitations, the No. 9 was decisive by scoring the goal that secured Palmeiras’ state title. Now, he is only expected to return after the World Cup.

In defense, Bruno Fuchs has also become a concern. The center-back was diagnosed with a thigh muscle injury after the match against Remo in the Brazilian Championship. Benedetti, meanwhile, suffered an ankle sprain during the clash against Jacuipense at Estádio do Café. The defender was found to have ligament damage, but he will not need surgery.

The two most recent absences came precisely in the match against Cruzeiro. Ramón Sosa got his foot stuck in the turf at Arena Barueri and suffered ligament damage in his ankle. Although the case does not require surgery, Palmeiras is working intensely to recover the forward in time for the Club World Cup. Frequently called up by the Paraguay national team, Sosa is considered an important piece for the international tournament, and the expectation is that he will recover in about 24 days.

Felipe Anderson, meanwhile, was perhaps enjoying his best spell since arriving at the club. After a strong performance against Jacuipense, the No. 7 scored a brilliant goal against Cruzeiro and was showing signs of physical and technical improvement. However, during a counterattack, the attacking midfielder felt his thigh and was diagnosed with a low-grade muscle injury, once again interrupting his run.

Unable to count on Paulinho

In addition to the injured players, Palmeiras is also handling Paulinho’s situation with caution. Signed to be one of the squad’s main technical references, the forward is still in the final stages of recovery after more than 300 days away from the pitch. The club is maintaining strict workload control, limiting his appearances to roughly 20 minutes per match, while also alternating between training and physical recovery.

Internally, the assessment is that Paulinho will only be fully physically fit after the Club World Cup.

Even with these problems, Palmeiras sees the run of matches against Cerro Porteño and Flamengo as decisive to maintain strength in the season before the international break.

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