São Paulo: Will Lucas start at last? Returns and absences v Mirassol | OneFootball

São Paulo will still train late this Saturday afternoon (18) in the final preparatory session for the match this Sunday (19) against Mirassol, away from home in the Brasileirão. With a truckload of absences due to injury, Crespo will also have some returns to set up the lineup for the match.

One of the big questions is the presence of attacking midfielder Lucas in the starting team, which hasn't happened yet since the idol's return to the field, after a serious knee injury suffered at the beginning of March, during the Paulistão semifinal.

Everything depends on Hernán Crespo's assessment during training, and especially on the player's confidence, who still feels insecure in this prolonged recovery, considered even atypical internally. However, Lucas might appear as a surprise in the starting 11 tomorrow.

REINFORCEMENTS FOR CRESPO

The midfielder Bobadilla, who played for the Paraguayan national team in two friendlies in Asia, returned to Brazil last Thursday (16) and did physical training indoors. The midfielder was a starter in both of Paraguay's matches: in the 2-2 draw with Japan in Osaka, providing an assist, and in the 2-0 loss to South Korea. He is available and should start against Mirassol.

Besides him in the position, coach Hernán Crespo will have the reinforcement of Pablo Maia, who served an automatic suspension in the last round and is now also available.

One of the last to get injured might also return. Enzo Díaz, who was absent in the South with hip pain, has been doing clinical work and strengthening exercises in recent days, and if he progresses well, he may strengthen the team against Mirassol.

THE ENDLESS INJURIES

And we come to the incredible list of injury absences, with no less than ten names:

Caleri (left knee surgery), Ryan (left knee surgery), André Silva (posterior cruciate ligament injury and anterior cruciate ligament strain in the right knee), Luan (right adductor injury), Rafael Toloi (left thigh posterior region injury), Oscar (left calf muscle injury), Cédric (fracture in the right toe), Leandro (left knee pain), Dinenno (right knee pain), and Wendell (partial rupture of the plantar fascia in the left foot), all absences for the Tricolor this Sunday.

PROBABLE LINEUP

Thus, a probable São Paulo lineup to face Mirassol should be Rafael; Alan Franco, Arboleda, and Ferraresi (Sabino); Maílton, Bobadilla, Pablo Maia (Rodriguinho), Marcos Antônio, and Patryck (Enzo Díaz); Luciano and Tapia.

This Saturday afternoon, at 4 PM (Brasília time), the Tricolor will conduct the final training session at the Barra Funda training center before traveling to the interior of São Paulo on a chartered flight.

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