Renato Portaluppi revives forgotten names, changes things at Grêmio; see | OneFootball

The coaching change at Grêmio has already started to produce effects on the team’s lineup. In the 0-0 draw with Palmeiras, Renato Portaluppi turned to players who had been out of the main plans and began a new evaluation of the squad.

João Pedro and Fabian Balbuena started among the XI, while Marcos Rocha came on in the final stage. All three had lost ground during the previous spell and were given a new opportunity right in the first match under Renato Portaluppi.

The move indicates that Renato Portaluppi intends to expand the options for the remainder of the Brazilian Championship, looking at players who had been out of the rotation and could earn new opportunities.

Fabian Balbuena returns after four months

The main new face was Fabian Balbuena. The center-back had not played for four months and returned straight to the starting lineup against Palmeiras. The decision also served to assess the player’s condition after a long period without matches.

João Pedro also started the match, while Marcos Rocha was brought on in the second half. The use of the trio shows that the new coach intends to assess the group more broadly before settling on what he considers the ideal lineup.

The first test, however, ended without goals. The draw kept Grêmio in a delicate position in the standings and increased the importance of the upcoming work at CT Luiz Carvalho with a focus on the final stretch of the Brasileirão.

Changes also affect other players

The initial reshuffle was not limited to the players who gained space. Filip Krovinović and Juan Nardoni, frequently used by Luís Castro, were left out of the team against Palmeiras. The Argentine was not even included in the squad, while the midfielder was unused during the match.

The absences point to changes in the coaching staff’s priorities and increase the competition for places in the squad. Renato Portaluppi will have the next training sessions to assess the options before the next clash and define new alternatives for the team.

Break shortened before decisive match

The initial schedule called for five days off for the squad, but Renato cut the period to three. The players return to training on Thursday at CT Luiz Carvalho. Grêmio return to the field on the 7th against Remo, away from home.

Grêmio are 17th with 29 points and are in the relegation zone. Faced with the need to respond, Renato will have to reorganize the squad and find alternatives for the remainder of the Brazilian Championship. His debut already pointed to some changes.

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