Palmeiras struggle with fatigue after busy run of games | OneFootball

Palmeiras lost their first match in the Brazilian Championship. Verdão was defeated at São Januário after 14 years without losing to Vasco da Gama in Rio de Janeiro. Having won the Paulista Championship last Sunday (8), the Palmeiras squad is coming off a long sequence of games.

In the match, Verdão opened the scoring with Flaco López, but they were overturned with goals by Thiago Mendes and Cuiabano, both in the second half.

Poor performance, but ideas maintained

Was Palmeiras' performance during the game poor? Yes, for most of the match. But one thing stood out, Verdão rarely tried to get rid of the ball when they had possession. Especially when their main players were on the ball.

Clearly tired, the Alviverde fell apart in the second half, conceding 'pickup game' goals, with a lot of space in the defense, which was missing Murilo due to injury. However, Verdão has been struggling defensively throughout the 2026 season, still not finding a definitive solution.

The defeat against Vasco da Gama, in the sixth round of the Brasileirão, especially with such a long-standing taboo, is quite irritating. But given the circumstances, we can find reasons that slightly ease the criticism.

Return to Allianz Parque

To get back on track, Palmeiras will take the field next Sunday (15), alongside their fans in their true home, Allianz Parque. The Palmeiras stadium will reunite with its home after a long period of renovations.

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