Palmeiras lack consistency, board urged to act in transfer market | OneFootball

Palmeiras debuted in the Brazilian Championship of 2026 with a 2-2 draw against Atlético-MG in Belo Horizonte. On paper, the result might even be considered acceptable: a point gained away from home against an opponent that has strengthened well for the season. In practice, however, the draw left a bitter taste.

The Verdão opened the scoring and allowed Galo to turn the game around, once again highlighting the disorganization of the green-and-white defensive system — a problem that had been showing signs throughout the season.

Irregular performance and gaps in the squad

Can Palmeiras' performance be classified as a complete disaster? No. At certain moments, the team managed to fit its game, press the opponent, and block Atlético's advances. Proof of this was Flaco López's goal, which confirms the good start to the season for the Argentine striker.

The problem arises when the irregular performance combines with the gaps in the squad. Palmeiras' pursuit of an agreement with Zenit for the release of defender Nino directly reflects the current state of the defensive sector. Murilo, the current partner of Gustavo Gómez, is not in good form and had a performance below expectations, worsened by an error that led to one of Atlético-MG's goals. In the play, goalkeeper Carlos Miguel also failed.

As the game progressed, Palmeiras lost offensive strength and began to defend more than attack. Looking at the bench, Abel Ferreira found few alternatives to change the course of the match: Vitor Roque, Raphael Veiga, and several young players from the youth categories. The squad lacked depth and, most importantly, options capable of altering the game's direction.

Midfield works, but deficiency persists

The midfield showed positive points. Marlon Freitas and Andreas Pereira are showing improvement in their partnership and are beginning to understand each other better on the field. Even so, the absence of a more combative number five in the starting team is evident. Currently, the squad has Emiliano Martínez and Luís Pacheco for the role, but the deficiency remains clear.

The draw in the debut does not compromise the campaign but raises an alert: if Palmeiras wants to fight at the top of the table, adjustments — especially defensive and in the squad — will need to be made urgently.

What's next?

Palmeiras returns to the field for the Brazilian Championship next Wednesday (4), at 9:30 PM (Brasília time) at Allianz Parque, for the second round of the national competition. Before that, they return to the pitch on Sunday (1), at 8:30 PM, against Botafogo-SP, for the sixth round of the first phase of the Paulista Championship.

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