Vitor Roque eyes starting run in reunion with São Paulo | OneFootball

Vitor Roque will have another opportunity to earn a run of games as a starter for Palmeiras. The No. 9 is expected to start this Saturday’s (12) Choque-Rei against São Paulo at 6:30 p.m. Brasília time at Nubank Parque, in the 27th round of the Brazilian Championship, as he looks for more consistent performances in this decisive stretch of the season.

The clash holds special meaning for the striker. It was precisely against São Paulo that Vitor Roque made his debut for Palmeiras, on March 10, 2025, in the Paulista Championship semifinal. On that occasion, the forward started and won the penalty that led to Verdão’s 1-0 victory.

More than a year later, the No. 9 faces the same opponent again at a different moment in his career. Vitor Roque recently returned to the starting lineup after a recovery period and is still trying to regain his best physical and technical form. Against LDU last Wednesday (9), the striker was directly involved in the move that led to Palmeiras’ goal and received praise from Abel Ferreira for his progress.

The 2026 season, however, has been marked by inconsistency for the player. After suffering an ankle injury in April and undergoing surgery, Vitor Roque needed a recovery period before returning to the pitch.

Since his return, the striker has alternated positive moments with performances below expectations. Abel Ferreira himself called for the player to improve physically, while recent assessments pointed out that the No. 9 is still trying to recover the consistency he showed at other times during his spell at the club.

Now, against São Paulo, Vitor Roque is trying to turn the opportunity into a fresh surge this season. With Palmeiras needing to regain the top spot in the Brasileirão and still alive in all three competitions, the No. 9’s response could be important for Abel Ferreira.

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