Abel jokes: Vitor Roque is a lion, not a little tiger | OneFootball

Vitor Roque did not score a goal this Sunday against São Paulo, but he was a standout for Palmeiras in the 2-1 victory in the semifinal of the Campeonato Paulista, a result that placed Verdão in the State final. Coach Abel Ferreira did not hold back on praising the number 9 and made a joke about the nickname “Little Tiger.”

“For me, he is a lion, not a little tiger. He has taken a lot of hits, has very unique characteristics that complement each other. If we know how to understand, we get the most out of him. He needs a lot of care... players are like flowers: some we water and they bloom all year, and those like orchids we have to care for every day. It is our job, Barros', the president's: to take care of the players we have. He is a lion inside and helped as he did,” declared Abel.

The Palmeiras number 9 did not find the net, but he was active in the attack. In the play of the first goal, the Little Tiger had a good escape on the left and, even after missing a first pass, stayed in the play and crossed for Mauricio to open the scoring at seven minutes into the first half.

Vitor Roque gave São Paulo's defense a headache and, as a result, took quite a few “hits” as Abel Ferreira mentioned. He was only stopped with fouls several times, including the one that led to the play of Palmeiras' second goal, at 11 minutes into the second half. Andreas Pereira executed a set-piece with Piquerez, the full-back crossed into the area, and Flaco López appeared free to score.

This season, Vitor Roque has played 12 games, scored five goals, and provided one assist. The player holds the second position in the team's top scorers ranking, trailing only Flaco López, who has six. Last year, he scored 20 goals in 56 matches.

Palmeiras' Situation

Finalist of the Paulistão for the seventh consecutive time, Palmeiras now prepares for the decisive matches against Novorizontino. The home and away games will take place on March 4 and 8. Details will be defined by the FPF. Having the best campaign, the Tigre do Vale plays the second game as the home team.

Next Palmeiras Game

Game: Palmeiras vs. Novorizontino Competition: Campeonato Paulista (Final, first leg) Date and Time: March 4, 2026 (Wednesday), time to be determined Location: Arena Crefisa Barueri

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