Brazilian manager takes charge of Palmeiras rival in Libertadores | OneFootball

Opponents of Palmeiras in the Libertadores group stage, Sporting Cristal announced on Thursday night (2) the signing of head coach Zé Ricardo for the remainder of the 2026 season. The Brazilian arrives to replace Paulo Autuori, who left the position after a string of negative results.

Zé Ricardo signed a contract until December 2027 and will have the mission of leading the Peruvian team in the continental competition. Sporting Cristal is in Group F, alongside Cerro Porteño, Junior Barranquilla, and Palmeiras.

The first match between Palmeiras and the Peruvian side will take place on April 16 at Allianz Parque, in the second round. The teams will face each other again in the fourth round, on May 5, in Lima.

In Sporting Cristal’s squad, Zé Ricardo will find players familiar to Brazilian football, such as forward Felipe Vizeu and midfielder Gabriel, both of whom had spells at Flamengo.

The coach had been without a club since leaving Criciúma in May 2025. With the Santa Catarina side, he led the team in 21 matches, with nine wins, seven draws, and five losses.

Zé Ricardo was also approached by Guarani this season, but negotiations did not move forward.

This will be the coach’s third experience outside Brazil. Previously, he worked at Qatar SC and Japan’s Shimizu S-Pulse.

Palmeiras’ upcoming matches

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