Palmeiras under pressure put Leila Pereira plan and Abel Ferreira dream to the test in the Libertadores | OneFootball

Palmeiras visit Cerro Porteño in Asunción on Wednesday with more than a quarter-final place at stake, a night set to test Leila Pereira’s plan and Abel Ferreira’s dream of conquering the continent again. Kick-off is 19:00 Brasília time at the Nueva Olla. After a draw in São Paulo, Palmeiras must win to reach the Libertadores quarter-finals.

According to Globo.com, the Libertadores has become Pereira’s priority for the final stretch of her presidency. Re-elected with a mandate through 2027 and not seeking another term, she kept core players and sought targeted reinforcements to raise an already competitive squad.

Ferreira has long been open about wanting to win the competition again and take Palmeiras back to a final for the first time since the 2021 title. After finishing runners-up to Flamengo last season, the club felt experience and maturity were lacking, which shaped the arrivals of Marlon Freitas, Jhon Arias and the latest signing, Barboza.

Internally, the 2026 group is viewed as the strongest of Ferreira’s era. To preserve it, Palmeiras turned down about R$ 300 million for Allan and Flaco López. The club remain short of a R$ 399 million sales target set through the end of 2026, so prize money could ease the gap, with a title worth up to R$ 150 million, R$ 16.84 million already banked and a further R$ 9 million for making the last eight.

Expectation is high and so is the pressure. An exit is not expected to threaten Ferreira’s job, with Pereira having stressed he would leave only on his terms, but the Campeonato Brasileiro and Copa do Brasil would then carry a sense of obligation. Form is poor, with four games without a win, a league lead down to three points and the last victory a 3-0 over Fortaleza in the Copa do Brasil last 16.

Source: Globo.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”