Half-year review: Palmeiras enter Club World Cup on a high, tests ahead | OneFootball

Palmeiras wrap up the first half of the season with plenty to celebrate. Paulista champions after beating Novorizontino and sole leaders of the Brazilian Championship, Verdão head into the break for the Club World Cup enjoying one of their best moments of the year.

In the Brasileirão, Abel Ferreira’s team ended the period with a comfortable seven-point lead over Flamengo, their main challenger in the table. One of the most memorable matches of the campaign was precisely the 3-0 win over the Rio side at the Maracanã.

In the Copa do Brasil, the outlook is also positive. Qualified for the round of 16, Palmeiras received what was considered a favorable draw and will face Fortaleza, who are going through a difficult spell in Série B.

In the Libertadores, however, the campaign left mixed feelings. Palmeiras advanced to the round of 16, but only in second place in their group. Their opponent will be Cerro Porteño, a familiar foe from this very edition. Against the Paraguayans, Verdão have yet to win: they suffered one defeat and earned one draw in the group stage. Even so, the historical record against Cerro gives the fans confidence.

On top of that, the path to a possible final looks manageable. Among the Brazilian sides that could cross Palmeiras’ path are Fluminense and Mirassol.

Not everything, however, was perfect in this first half of the season. The main negative was finishing only second in the Libertadores group. Another recurring issue was the injuries that hit key members of the squad, such as Vitor Roque and Piquerez.

On the other hand, one of the biggest boosts for the rest of the season could come from within the squad itself. Forward Paulinho has been showing physical and technical improvement, regaining space and importance in the team. As NOSSO PALESTRA has learned, the expectation is that the player will return to playing more than 45 minutes after the World Cup break, once again becoming a decisive weapon for Abel Ferreira.

What now?

Palmeiras end the first part of the Brazilian Championship with 41 points from 18 matches, compared to Flamengo’s 34, though Flamengo have a game in hand. That means Abel Ferreira’s team have already secured top spot at the end of the first half of the season.

Now, Brazilian football will be paused until July 22 because of the 2026 World Cup, played from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Verdão’s first match after the break will be against Coritiba, in the 19th round of the Brazilian Championship — the clash that marks the end of the first half of the season. The tentative date for the match is July 22/23. In the second half of the season, besides the Brasileirão, the green-and-white side also have the Libertadores and the Copa do Brasil.

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