Paulinho updates recovery and hopes for Palmeiras return after FIFA break | OneFootball

Paulinho says he is closing in on a Palmeiras return, aiming to be available after the FIFA international window, as he watched them lift the Campeonato Paulista against Novorizontino on Sunday. He has yet to play in 2026.

Speaking at Estádio Doutor Jorge Ismael de Biasi, he said he is in the physical transition phase, increasing his workload each week and following the club’s protocol, and believes he could be available for selection after the FIFA break, Globo.com reports.

Should that timeline hold, he could feature from April. Before then, Palmeiras face Vasco, Mirassol, Botafogo and São Paulo in the Brasileirão.

The forward has not played since four July, when he featured at the Club World Cup. He underwent another procedure on his right leg at the end of that month to address a problem dating back to his time at Atlético-MG.

Since then the club have taken a cautious approach, with the player managing pain in the area for more than a year and a half. He has been treating a stress fracture of the right tibia since 2024, first diagnosed at Atlético-MG.

He played for six months with the injury at Galo before his first surgery, then joined Palmeiras two weeks later. Sunday’s trophy was his first since arriving, and he spoke of the squad’s harmony and targeting more titles this year.

Source: Globo.com