Abel Ferreira: the legendary Palmeiras coach answering critics in Brazil with Flamengo win | OneFootball

Despite his legacy, Abel faces criticism in Brazil [Getty Images]

From a distance, the notion of Abel Ferreira’s position at Brazilian giants Palmeiras being under threat seems difficult to comprehend. Not only is Abel the most decorated manager in the club’s history, but the team also currently occupies first place in the Campeonato Brasileiro. So why is the Portuguese under pressure from sections of his own fanbase?

Five-and-a-half years in charge; 11 trophies. Abel’s name is forever inscribed in the history of one of Brazil’s most popular institutions. Yet when Palmeiras lost 1-0 at home to Cerro Porteño of Paraguay in the Copa Libertadores last week – their first defeat in two months –the club’s biggest fan organisation group called for his removal.

‘Thank you Abel, that’s enough’ 

The defeat at the hands of Cerro merely cost Palmeiras the chance to secure passage from Group F to the knockout phase with one match to spare. Instead, they must avoid defeat at home against Colombian outfit Junior, who are bottom of the group, on the final matchday this week. So, no drama - but Mancha Verde, Palmeiras' primary supporters’ group, took to social media to demand the Portuguese leave.

Under the title "Thank you, Abel. That's enough. Goodbye," the fans declared that Palmeiras has been a "mirage" in recent seasons. The charge does hold some weight, with no Brazilian league title or Copa Libertadores for the last two seasons, which led the group to announce that “intensity and soul” is lacking in the team.

Abel is responsible for setting such high standards, to the extent March’s Campeonato Paulista victory has been quickly forgotten. The former Sporting and Braga boss won the Copa Libertadores back-to-back in his first two years in charge in 2020 and 2021, which he followed by winning consecutive Brazilian league titles in 2022 and 2023.

The last two years have seen Palmeiras finish as nearly men in the two major competitions. Both league campaigns ended in 2nd place finishes behind Botafogo and Flamengo respectively, while last year’s Copa Libertadores final ended with Palmeiras losing out to Flamengo. For a club which had gone 20 years without a Libertadores final appearance upon Abel’s arrival, three finals in five years reads as significant.

The stye of football practised by Abel was also mentioned by the fans, coming during a period in which the team scored only one goal in six of their previous ten matches. As a pragmatist with a combative nature who, even during more successful times, had never been regarded as an entertainer in the same way Jorge Jesus had with Flamengo in 2019, Abel was always susceptible to losing support when results did not maintain their high standards.

Presidential backing 

Palmeiras are paired with Flamengo as South America’s big spenders. Expectations are high, so club president Leila Pereira and the director of football Anderson Barros have also come under fire. In such circumstances, it is common for presidents to allow a besieged coach to take the brunt of criticism, but president Pereira was aggressive in her response to fan discontent.

"I don't manage Palmeiras based on the opinion of a segment of the fanbase,” Pereira said. “I don't pay attention to what the supporters say about me or my management. I manage by listening to our professionals, experiencing the daily routine, that's what guides me. I know the vast majority of fans are upset, I understand, I'm also upset. But the fan is driven by passion and I can't be like that.

“I didn't see that segment of the fanbase when we won the Paulista championship, I didn't see them congratulating our work. It's funny that they only appear in difficult times. Sometimes I get worried, but I am happy, remembering that we won't always win. When you win the Paulista [championship], it's insignificant, but if you don't win, it's chaos. I want to see Abel happy, but I also want to see the fans happy, and we work towards that.”

Bouncing back with Flamengo win

Following the Libertadores defeat and subsequent fan ire, Palmeiras were handed the toughest of prospects upon their return to domestic matters: a trip to Rio de Janeiro to play Brazilian and South American champions Flamengo. Countryman Leonardo Jardim is the current boss at Flamengo, allowing Abel the chance to reflect on a brief stint as Jardim’s assistant at Spotting. “We remembered Dier, Mané, João Mário..” Abel recalled this week when speaking of the period he drifted between senior and youth duties at Alvalade in 2013-14.

Not only do Flamengo have the upper hand with trophies of late, their record against Palmeiras in recent years is remarkable. Coming into the clash on Sunday night, Palmeiras had not beaten Flamengo in the league for 16 games (8 draws and 8 losses between 2017 and 2025) rendering it the club’s worst winless streak against any opponent in the history of Brasileirão.

Abel’s side ended the drought in spectacular fashion, cruising to a 3-0 victory against ten men after Flamengo’s Jorge Carrascal was sent off in the 20th minute due to a high-foot challenge. Jardim was far from happy, telling reporters “it was more a high kick than aggressive play, it’s usually a yellow but I think it's too easy to give red cards to Flamengo,” but despite his complaints, Abel’s team seized a monumental victory which increased their lead at the top to seven points as the campaign nears the halfway point.

“We switch to resilient mode” 

For his part, Abel has regularly advocated for calm when questioned over the team’s performances. Not only have injuries affected the ranks, the Portuguese has often pointed out that some of Palmeiras’ key players, such as Gustavo Gómez of Paraguay and Jhon Arias of Colombia, will be heading to the World Cup as important players for their countries, leading to a sense of distraction. Indeed, club captain Gómez has already spoken of his sleepless anxiety ahead of Paraguay’s opener against the United States on 12th June.

“My players know that during a competitive season there will be ups and downs and they have to remain resilient, that's what I told them,” the Portuguese said. “When Palmeiras doesn't win, there's pressure, and when that happens, we switch to resilience mode. It's something I carry with me, and you can see it in this team.

"I would like to dedicate this victory to two women. The first is our president, I thank her for all the calm she brings to the squad, coach and players. She is perhaps the most courageous human being I know, it's always good to work with people like that, who trust in a continuous work, with processes, which she herself says she knows won't always work.

“And the other is my daughter Maria Inês, who hasn't been with me for a year. Several times I've been away from her because I couldn't be there for her birthdays, I promise her that we will be together soon, it's a fatherly process, don't worry. I hope she enjoyed today.

"I understand, because it's part of the process, that when things aren't going well there are criticisms. I remember that three months ago we were embracing, celebrating a title.

“Guardiola spent 10 years at City and won 20 titles, everything has a cycle. But the longer I'm here the closer I am to the end, I don't know how long it will last.

"I'm grateful to be the coach of Palmeiras, grateful to coach these players. We know that at Palmeiras, when we don't win, expectations rise, and that's how it has to be.

“But I've already said that when I become the problem, I'll be the first to leave."

In the meantime, Abel is a man unlikely to change. On Monday, he was fined $15,000 and issued a warning by the CONMEBOL Disciplinary Committee.

The charge? Directing a middle finger towards his own player, Flaco López, amid goal celebrations during a 2-0 victory over Sporting Cristal in Lima earlier this month.

"He's the player I nag the most," Abel said. "He has everything to be a top class forward for Palmeiras. If he keeps trying to get assists, he'll be on the bench with me. He did [a thumbs up] to me, I made a gesture to him. I enjoy it, because my main function is to get the best from the players."