Arthur or Jefté? How Piquerez’s injury reshapes Palmeiras’ left-back plans | OneFootball

Palmeiras host Grêmio at 21:30 on Thursday in Barueri, and will change left-back after Piquerez suffered a right ankle ligament rupture in Uruguay’s friendly with England. He will undergo surgery and is sidelined. According to Globo.com, his absence sharpens the battle between Arthur and Jefté.

Jefté was his understudy last year. In 2026, with Arthur ageing out of the under-20s and moving up, the pair have shared the role.

Across the last five games, Piquerez started the Choque-Rei, Arthur then began against Botafogo and Mirassol, Jefté faced Vasco, and Piquerez returned for the Paulista final with Novorizontino.

Rotation also reflected Piquerez’s fitness, as muscle issues from the Paulista final did not rule him out but prompted Abel to shuffle. Next up, a top-of-the-table meeting with São Paulo in the Brasileiro, he picked Piquerez, the last outing before the FIFA window.

Internally, there is still a chance he could make the World Cup in June and July, though he will miss upcoming games. At 22, Jefté has overcome a thigh oedema early in the year and now must prove himself as back-up after a 2025 that, despite the coach’s faith, did not convince the fans.

Arthur came through the academy from under-11 level and, after his promotion, needs to show he can stick in the senior squad. Of slighter build, he says he has added five kilograms of muscle and remodelled his game to attack space, dribble and combine quickly, preferring pass and move to physical contact.

Source: Globo.com