Abel seeks to revive Vitor Roque and re-form Flaco López duo after injury setback | OneFootball

Abel Ferreira is working to bring Vitor Roque back to form and rekindle his partnership with Flaco López. The pair delivered 45 goals and 11 assists last season, but 2026 began with the number nine spraining an ankle in training and still searching for rhythm.

Last year they supplied 34% of Palmeiras’ goals. According to Globo.com, they now face the task of repeating that amid early-season fitness issues. López quickly shook off pre-season flu, while Roque started on the bench after his injury before the 2026 opener.

Across the first five matches, as Abel rotated to manage workload, Roque featured three times and started only once, against Mirassol.

He came off the bench to score his first and only goal of the year in the Campeonato Brasileiro opener against Atlético-MG. He then started three in a row, against Botafogo-SP, Vitória and Corinthians, without scoring.

After a 1-0 win over their rivals, Abel said selection was about performance and freshness, and that Roque, after an early injury, remains far from last year’s level.

In 2026 he produced 20 goals and five assists in 56 appearances, fuelled by the López-Roque link that clicked mid-year and kept Palmeiras in the title race.

By contrast, López has started six of eight this year and is near a decisive action per game, with four goals and three assists. He said he is working to hit his targets, improve on last season and chase his dream of playing in the Cup.

Source: Globo.com