Palmeiras play it safe and await Paulinho's return in the Copa do Brasil | OneFootball

By Vinícius Salgado

Palmeiras is still taking a cautious approach in Paulinho’s recovery process and is working with the possibility that the No. 10 could return as an option in the team’s debut in the fifth round of the Copa do Brasil. Currently undergoing physical reconditioning, the player has been taking part in most of the day-to-day activities with the rest of the squad.

The club is avoiding setting a definitive date and is waiting to see how the player responds in training.

Meanwhile, Paulinho continues to work daily with the fitness staff and takes part in ball drills. The expectation is that the forward could at least be included in the squad for Copa do Brasil matches, even if not as an immediate starter.

The match in question will be against Jacuipense on April 23, when Palmeiras begins its fight for a spot in the Copa do Brasil round of 16.

The match is scheduled to take place at Allianz Parque at 7:30 p.m. (Brasília time). Before that, Paulinho is expected to remain only a spectator in upcoming matches while trying to integrate more with the team each day. Even without playing, he traveled with the rest of the squad for the matches against Bahia, in Salvador, and Junior Barranquilla, in Colombia. He was not included in the squad for either of them, however.

Paulinho’s situation revisited

While still an Atlético-MG player, Paulinho had to undergo surgery in 2024 to correct a stress injury in the tibia of his right leg, and he arrived at Palmeiras still recovering from the procedure. The club’s second-most expensive signing, the player missed the entire Campeonato Paulista, the start of the Brasileirão, and the group stage of the Libertadores.

Paulinho only made his debut for Verdão in April 2025. The expectation was that Paulinho would be at 100% for the Club World Cup, held between June and July last year in the United States. However, the player had to follow an individual schedule to manage his workload and had limited time on the field.

After the tournament, Palmeiras’ Medical Department chose to carry out a new procedure so that the player would not be at risk or suffer further wear and tear. As a result, Paulinho underwent another surgery at the end of July and has been sidelined for Verdão ever since.

Paulinho’s numbers at Palmeiras

In total, he has played 16 matches for the São Paulo club, only one of them as a starter, scored three goals, and provided two assists.

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Palmeiras’ next match

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