São Paulo boosted by homegrown talent for Fortaleza, cautious on Oscar | OneFootball

São Paulo has gained two very important reinforcements for the match against Fortaleza, valid for the Brazilian Championship. Midfielder Marcos Antônio and playmaker Oscar have recovered from their respective physical issues and have been included in the squad by the coaching staff for the clash.

The two, however, are experiencing different situations on their return. Marcos Antônio recovered from a relatively simple problem. He missed the defeat to Ceará due to discomfort in the rectus femoris muscle of his right leg. The tendency, therefore, is that he could start as a starter this Thursday.

Oscar’s situation, on the other hand, is a bit more delicate. The midfielder fractured the L1, L2, and L3 vertebrae in his lower back, which has made São Paulo’s coaching staff take a cautious approach to his return. The number 8 returned to training with the squad on September 20, but is only now back in the squad list.

There was an expectation that Oscar would be available for the second leg against LDU-EQU, which did not happen. After the match against Ceará, coach Hernán Crespo explained the reason for the caution with the player. According to the coach, the midfielder was still not in condition to withstand the intensity that these games demand.

“Oscar had a very serious injury. And he is returning to training with a very serious injury that prevents him from breathing, walking. It’s not just any injury. So, he’s coming back and doing individual training, almost avoiding contact. Why? Because it hurts. We’re giving space and time, because we want Oscar for a long time. I want Oscar to be well, because there are no superheroes here. There are people who want to help the club. So, we can’t let ourselves be carried away by the frantic moments that football demands,” said the coach.

Oscar, however, continued working with his teammates throughout this week. The midfielder trained normally with the squad and seems to have convinced Crespo that he can be available for São Paulo again. Thus, he returns to the squad after two and a half months.

The player, it’s worth remembering, hasn’t worn the São Paulo shirt in official matches since July 19. On that occasion, he started in the derby against Corinthians, in the 15th round of the Brazilian Championship. He played only 16 minutes, but had to leave the field after the play that resulted in the vertebrae fracture.

Even though he is back in the squad, the tendency is for Oscar to start the match against Fortaleza on the bench. As Crespo said, he wants to have the number 8 available for longer and will manage the player’s gradual return. Thus, there is no reason to risk starting him at this moment – not to mention his lack of match fitness.

“I take my hat off to Oscar, for the effort he is making to come back despite all the pain he has. He trains and he’s here. We have to respect that, it’s a huge effort. We all want him to play, but not at any cost. […] The reality is very clear. I need Oscar healthy. And when that moment comes, will Oscar play 90 minutes? No, we’ll take it easy. He’ll start coming in slowly, 10 minutes, and so on,” Crespo added.

Marcos Antônio’s return is also a relief

Marcos Antônio’s return is also a relief for Crespo. The midfielder is one of the main players responsible for giving São Paulo’s game more dynamism, being an important piece in the defense-to-attack transition and also in creating plays.

Marcos Antônio has played 33 matches for São Paulo this season, starting in 28 of them, and has contributed four assists. More than the numbers, the midfielder plays an important role on the field and also in the locker room. His absence was clearly felt against Ceará, for example.

“Marcos Antônio is indeed an engine that starts to create play, to build, and makes his teammates better. He enhances the players around him. The team plays better, gains confidence. He is missed in moments like this [the defeat to Ceará],” Crespo said at Monday’s press conference.

Without Marcos Antônio in the 3-5-2 formation, the coach had been using three midfielders: Bobadilla, Alisson, and Pablo Maia. The three, however, have very different characteristics from the number 20, whose return is certainly highly valued by Crespo.

São Paulo’s situation in the Brazilian Championship

São Paulo has stalled in the Brasileirão standings and sits in eighth place, with 35 points. The Tricolor is going through a rough patch this season and, in addition to being eliminated from the Libertadores, is suffering a streak of four consecutive defeats.

Upcoming São Paulo matches

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