Palmeiras prep for Choque-Rei, Flaco: 'Very special for me'

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·2 October 2025

Palmeiras prep for Choque-Rei, Flaco: 'Very special for me'

Palmeiras reported back on Thursday morning (02), at the Football Academy, after their 3-0 victory over Vasco on Wednesday (01), at the Allianz Parque, for the Brazilian Championship. The team began preparation for the classic match against São Paulo, which will take place at 4pm on Sunday (05), at Morumbi, for the 27th round of the tournament.

How was the training?

The athletes who stayed on the field for more than 45 minutes against Vasco followed the regenerative schedule in the gym, recovery and neuroscience rooms of the Academy. The others participated in a technical training, with specific work in the last third and games in a reduced field of four against four.

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Speak, Flaco!

Author of two goals and an assist in Wednesday's victory, striker Flaco López is Palmeiras' top scorer this season, with 21 goals scored. The Argentine, who holds the record for foreigner with the most victories for the club (93), also became the fifth foreign player with the most goals for the Greatest Champion of Brazil, with 53 balls in the net since he arrived in 2022.

It's very special for me. Every year I try to improve the statistics and the qualities of the game. It's very good for me personally, I'm very motivated and very happy to be able to help the team with my numbers. A lot of work from the whole team and everyone here at Palmeiras that reflects in the work we do. Very happy about that and, God willing, there will be much more and I will be able to help many times.

The striker also highlighted the importance of the victory over Vasco:

We had a defeat in Bahia that we did not expect. I think we did not play a bad game, but that's football, sometimes what we don't expect happens. That's it, turn the page, move on. We have many commitments now that will be decisive, it is to take advantage of each game in the same way as yesterday, with the same desire to win, that we will be much closer to our goal.

About this weekend's classic, the Choque-Rei, López commented on Verdão's positive sequence:

It's a spectacular game. The classics are games we dream of playing since we were children. It will be very special for us, we arrive with good spirits, with a good performance. We will see what the professor asks of us and try to do it the same way, with the desire to win that we have, try to generate discomfort in the opponent.

And now?

With fewer games compared to rivals, the team currently occupies the second place, with 52 points, behind Flamengo, with 54, and ahead of Cruzeiro, with 50. Cariocas, who will end the round with one more game compared to Palmeiras, and mineiros, with two more games, face each other this Thursday (2), at Maracanã.

Verdão returns to the field for the Brazilian Championship next Sunday (5) against São Paulo, at Morumbi, for the 27th round of the national competition. The ball rolls at 4pm (Brasília time).