Marlon Freitas eyes golden chance in Copa do Brasil derby vs Santos | OneFootball

The midfielder Marlon Freitas, so far the main signing for Palmeiras in 2026, is expected to get a decisive chance to establish himself in the classic against Santos this Wednesday at 7:30 PM (Brasília time) at Arena Barueri. After a good debut against Portuguesa on Saturday, the player might start again as a starter in Verdão's first "big game" of the year, thus taking the lead in the fight for a starting position.

With the departure of Aníbal Moreno and the injury of Lucas Evangelista, Palmeiras is already struggling with a shortage of midfielders. In the game against Portuguesa, coach Abel Ferreira started the match with Marlon and the young Larson.

Emi Martínez, like other players, was not listed for Saturday's game against Portuguesa. Thus, he is expected to be a substitute in the Clássico da Saudade.

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The debut numbers

Playing as the first man in midfield, Marlon Freitas was crucial in the team's ball transitions under Abel Ferreira. He was often responsible for dictating the pace of plays and relieving the team during pressure moments from Portuguesa.

According to Sofascore, the midfielder was the fourth highest-rated player for Palmeiras in the match, with a score of 7.4. Only Luighi (7.6), Maurício, and Carlos Miguel (7.5) had better ratings than the 30-year-old athlete. He achieved a 96% pass accuracy rate during the 90 minutes, along with an 86% success rate in long passes. Marlon also won all ground duels and recovered the ball on three occasions.

The debut of the midfielder excites Palmeiras fans, who saw the midfield as one of the team's weak points in 2025, where neither Aníbal Moreno nor Emiliano Martínez managed to secure the position.

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