Lucas Andrade targets best Copinha run as Palmeiras boss vs Ituano | OneFootball

In his third São Paulo Junior Football Cup as coach of Palmeiras, Lucas Andrade is close to achieving his best campaign in the competition. Verdão faces Ituano this Saturday (17th) at 11 a.m. (Brasília time) at Arena Crefisa Barueri, in the round of 16 of the Copinha. If they qualify, 2026 will become the best campaign with Lucas on the bench.

Leading Palmeiras since July 2023, the coach was in charge of the team in 2024 and 2025. In the first edition, there was an early elimination in the third round against Aster Itaquá-SP, with a 1-0 defeat. In 2025, they were eliminated precisely in the round of 16, against Grêmio, by 3 to 2.

The coach, however, was part of Paulo Victor Gomes' technical staff in the back-to-back Copinha titles, in 2022 and 2022. As PV's assistant, he took over as head coach after Paulo accepted an offer from América-MEX.

The coach is in his second stint at Palmeiras — the first was between 2016 and 2020, as coach of both the U-14 and U-15 teams.

Lucas has accumulated 126 matches as coach of the São Paulo club's U-20 team, considering official games, with 89 wins, 24 draws, and 11 losses. Champion of the U-20 Brazilian Championship in 2024 and 2025, the coach has already won the U-20 Paulista (2023) and the U-15 Paulista (2017 and 2019).

Campaign in the 2026 Copinha

Palmeiras has played five matches in the competition so far, with three wins and two draws, scoring 20 goals and conceding six – the team's top scorer in the tournament is forward Sorriso, with five goals. The Palestra U-20 side has reached a streak of 23 unbeaten matches, with 17 wins and six draws in this period – the last defeat for the category was in July 2025.

The Academy Kids are seeking their third Copinha title. In 2022, Verdão won the tournament for the first time by thrashing Santos 4-0 in the final at Allianz Parque, with goals from Endrick, Giovani, and Gabriel Silva (twice). The following year, the back-to-back title came with a 2-1 victory over América-MG in the final at Canindé, with goals from Ruan Ribeiro and Patrick.

See Palmeiras' upcoming matches in the Copinha:

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