Palmeiras lose Benedetti to injury, left with just two centre-backs | OneFootball

Palmeiras announced this Friday (15) that center-back Benedetti suffered an injury to his right ankle and will be unavailable for the team’s upcoming matches under Abel Ferreira.

According to the club, the defender was diagnosed with a sprain involving ligament damage. Despite the seriousness of the issue, Benedetti will not need surgery.

The injury adds to Verdão’s defensive problems amid the team’s busy schedule this season. In the 4-1 win over Jacuipense in the Copa do Brasil, the young center-back started and played the full 90 minutes.

With his absence, Palmeiras now has only two natural center-backs available in the first-team squad: Murilo and Gustavo Gómez.

That is because Bruno Fuchs also became unavailable this week. The defender suffered an injury to his right thigh during training last Monday and remains under medical care.

Challenges for Abel

Given the situation, Abel Ferreira may turn to makeshift solutions and youth players to fill out the defensive line in the upcoming matches.

One alternative is Emiliano Martínez, a defensive midfielder who has already filled in at center-back on other occasions. The Uruguayan was even considered to start in defense against Jacuipense, but played as a midfielder for the full 90 minutes.

Another option is young Koné, an Ivorian defender who is a regular starter for Palmeiras’ under-20 team. The youngster was included on the Campeonato Paulista squad list in January, but was not called up for any match.

Meet Koné

The 18-year-old center-back, who stands 1.93 meters tall, stands out for his physical presence and is regarded as a prodigy within the club. As a foreign player, the defender, who has been at Palmeiras since 2023, was only able to play in friendly and unofficial tournaments until turning 18 in November 2025, when he also signed his first professional contract – the deal runs until September 2028.

After more than two years playing in friendly tournaments, Koné is finally eligible to play in official matches for Verdão. However, the Ivorian center-back could not be registered for the 2026 Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior, as his registration in November came after the deadline set by the São Paulo Football Federation in October.

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