Abel hails Arias' versatility: "A player like him is fantastic" | OneFootball

Jhon Arias returned to get minutes for Palmeiras last Wednesday in the 2-1 victory over Fluminense, his former club. The Verdão’s number 11 left a good impression in his first two appearances for the club, both coming off the bench. Abel Ferreira praised the player’s qualities and highlighted his versatility.

The coach also revealed that Arias was brought in to replace Facundo Torres, who was sold to Austin FC in the United States after a season at Palmeiras. Arias left Wolverhampton, England, after a six-month spell in England.

“Arias is a player who knows Brazilian football perfectly, and has experience in international football. We needed someone in that position from the moment the club decided to sell Palmeiras’ third-best scorer, Facundo (Torres). The club understood it had to sell and we looked for another solution. Arias brings us quality, decision-making, and a very strong relationship with the ball. He can help us from the start, coming off the bench, and can play in the middle, on the right, and on the left,” said the coach.

“I know he prefers to play on the right, I spoke with him several times before we signed him. He is intelligent and a good man as well. He asked me several questions about where he could fit into this dynamic. The important thing is to play. With Diniz, he played inside, coming from the right to the left, and already brings that unpredictability in his movements. He will help us, he’s another option. Having a player like him is fantastic,” he continued.

Jhon Arias for Palmeiras

The Colombian currently has only two matches for the club, still without completing 45 minutes. He made his debut for Palmeiras last Saturday, in the 4-0 thrashing of Capivariano. On that occasion, he came on for Allan and played for about 12 minutes, mostly on the right, and won a penalty, which led to the third goal.

Against Fluminense, he played a little over 30 minutes, came on for Flaco López and performed well on both sides, but more frequently on the left, from where he took a dangerous free kick that almost resulted in his first goal.

The player continues to seek his place in the team and remains available to Abel Ferreira for the match against São Paulo, in the semifinal of the Campeonato Paulista.

Palmeiras’ Situation

With the victory over Fluminense, Palmeiras remains unbeaten in the Brasileirão and stays at the top of the competition, with ten points earned. That’s one draw and three consecutive wins. Abel Ferreira’s team now turns its attention to the Campeonato Paulista, a tournament in which they are semifinalists and fighting for a spot in the final against São Paulo on Sunday.

Palmeiras’ Next Match

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