Abel faces dilemma at Palmeiras before Copa do Brasil v Flamengo | OneFootball

Palmeiras is preparing for the most anticipated clash of the 29th round of the Brazilian Championship against Flamengo, this Sunday at 4 p.m. (Brasília time), at the Maracanã, and Abel Ferreira has an important decision to make at right-back.

The coach has two options for the position: Agustín Giay, who had been starting, and Khellven, who returned to training last Thursday after an injury.

The Argentine took over the starting spot in recent matches and maintained consistency while Khellven was recovering. On the other hand, the recent signing was the starter before getting injured, has the coaching staff’s confidence, and offers offensive qualities that could be decisive in a crucial matchup.

However, using Khellven less than a week after full recovery could pose a risk, especially in a high-intensity match. If the full-back feels any discomfort and needs to be substituted, Abel would use up one of the five allowed changes, which could be costly, as the duel promises to be decided by fine margins.

The choice takes on even more significance given the standings. With the win over Red Bull Bragantino, Verdão maintained a three-point lead over Flamengo. Alviverde leads the Brasileirão with 61 points, while Rubro-Negro is right behind with 58, after beating Botafogo 3–0 in the last round.

Palmeiras and Flamengo face off in a head-to-head battle for the top of the table and come in on a high, which increases the weight of Abel’s decision. Choosing between keeping Giay’s run or betting on Khellven’s early return could directly impact Verdão’s strategy at the Maracanã.

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