How Roger plans to use the FIFA break at São Paulo

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·23 Maret 2026

How Roger plans to use the FIFA break at São Paulo

São Paulo played its last match before the break for the FIFA international window last Saturday. The Tricolor lost to Palmeiras 1-0 at Morumbis in the eighth round of the Brazilian Championship, marking their 12th consecutive game without a win against their green-clad rivals.

Now, São Paulo will have about ten days before their next match, against Internacional, scheduled for April 1. Coach Roger Machado has already defined the team’s priority during the FIFA break: finding alternatives to supply the offensive sector.

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“It was ten days, but if you add up the training sessions, maybe only four, due to the wear and tear from the matches. This time will also be important to reset the players. It’s not just the number of games, but also their intensity that causes fatigue. But above all, it’s so we can find these offensive solutions when we face teams that play with a low block, with man-to-man marking, forming a line of six in individual pursuit. Creating alternatives to supply our forwards,” analyzed Roger.

“If in this system we don’t have traditional wingers, we have to create alternatives so that our full-backs can be effective on the flanks, so our midfielders can make short runs in behind and supply the players up front, even against very closed defenses. This time will be used to search for alternatives, to train different systems, so we have options when facing adversity,” he added.

The coach identified the problem precisely after the defeat to Palmeiras. Verdão opened the scoring five minutes into the game and held the result until the final whistle. São Paulo, meanwhile, failed to threaten goalkeeper Carlos Miguel and relied too much on aerial balls. There were only three successful crosses out of 41 attempted, according to statistics.

And how to find such solutions?

São Paulo is expected to return to training this Tuesday, two days after the match against Palmeiras, at SuperCT. Roger Machado, therefore, will have about a week to prepare the team for the clash against Internacional. This is the coach’s first free period since being hired on March 10.

The manager revealed he should test new formations and strategies during the free week. He said he already knows the characteristics of the squad and will look for solutions based on that. He even mentioned, for example, the lack of wingers in the squad who can tip the balance in games.

“We have a group with certain characteristics and I’ll look for solutions within that. I prefer a back four, for example, but I’ve also played with three defenders, and could do so to free up the full-backs and have more options in attack, since we have fewer effective wingers. It’s about seeking, within the characteristics we have, greater balance and alternatives that allow us to hurt the opponent more often,” he commented.

“That’s what happened in the first two games, and it became a difficulty in the last two. This time will be very valuable, not only for all that, but also to practice the style of play I prefer, and to improve physically, so we can play a more physical game when we’re ready for it,” concluded Roger Machado.

In search of solutions, São Paulo returns to the field on April 1, when they face Internacional at Beira-Rio at 7:30 pm (Brasília time), for the ninth round of the Brazilian Championship.

Current standings

With the result, São Paulo suffered their second consecutive defeat in the Brazilian Championship and remained in second place with 16 points, but could still lose the runner-up position if Bahia wins against Remo away from home this Sunday.

A Flamengo win by two or more goals would also take São Paulo out of second place. The Rubro-Negro faces Corinthians, also on Sunday, at Neo Química Arena.