João Martins rues Palmeiras loss, calls São Januário pitch a mess | OneFootball

Palmeiras was defeated 2-1 by Vasco da Gama on Thursday night (12th) at São Januário Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, during the fifth round of the Brazilian Championship, losing their unbeaten streak in the national competition. As a result, Verdão lost the leadership of the Brasileirão.

The Palmeiras goal was scored by Flaco López in the first half, while Thiago Mendes and Cuiabano turned the game around in the second half.

Hear from João Martins!

Replacing the suspended Abel Ferreira, João Martins spoke to the press after Palmeiras' defeat in the match against Vasco at São Januário.

São Januário's Pitch

— I was rooting for Vasco in the Campeonato Carioca, hoping they would have the same days as us, but they couldn't reach the final. Other teams went through similar situations. The second half was similar: two stoppages. The coach changed, gave them extra energy, and they had eleven days to prepare.

— On a heavy field, it seemed like they played yesterday on this pitch, but they already had eleven days of preparation. How long will we talk about synthetic turf? Until the CBF takes action, you can't see it on TV, but underneath the field, it seemed like they planted potatoes — there are ups and downs, almost half a meter. But it is what it is; it's grassroots football, but we're in 2026.

— On Sunday, we had a very tough game where the ball wouldn't roll. Today, in the first half, the situation repeated, and after the rain, the pitch turned into a real potato field. In the second half, the team tried to react, but if we had a magic wand, we would have prevented the team from suffering so much in the first half. The physical aspect influenced a lot. We have to work and win on Sunday.

Did Palmeiras feel the game physically?

— Sometimes you need to be lucky. This team had only eleven days to prepare for this game. It's a big difference, but it is what it is. No excuses, we need to move forward.

Importance of Palmeiras' return to Allianz Parque and Brasília's pitch

— We miss and are eager to play at our home. Allianz is our home. Like Vasco, we prefer playing here more than in Brasília, which also doesn't offer good conditions; it seems like they play there every day. The grass is a disgrace, but it's still a bit better than today's field.

Did Palmeiras players complain about the pitch?

— Vasco players also wanted better conditions, for sure. It's what we have. We'll talk about synthetic because it's what sells, but the problem is the lack of investment. The grass must be 25 years old; things don't evolve. The ball doesn't roll, the field is heavy and hard, it requires a lot of strength to run — and then we pay the price. Two days ago, we played on one field, and today on a completely different one.

Will the injured players return? Absences in Palmeiras

— We will work towards that. We have a qualified squad. We know that throughout the season, there will be some absences. But today, we need to acknowledge Vasco da Gama's merit.

What's next?

With the result, Palmeiras lost the leadership of the Brazilian Championship. The team is now the runner-up of the Brasileirão, with ten points in five games. Abel Ferreira's team was surpassed by São Paulo, who defeated Chapecoense on Thursday night and reached 13 points.

The Palmeiras team returns to the field next Sunday (15th) at 6:30 PM (Brasília time) against Mirassol, for the sixth round of the Brazilian Championship. The match marks the team's return to Allianz Parque, after the period of synthetic turf replacement.

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